RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Port recorded a 3.25 percent increase in container throughput in 2022 and cemented its position among the world’s fastest-growing ports, said a statement issued on Sunday. “We are proud that King Abdullah Port reported a positive performance in 2022 notwithstanding international trade facing challenges arising from global economic headwinds. This achievement is a validation of its robust business model, its industry-leading capabilities and offerings, and the undisputed role it plays in Saudi Arabia’s logistics and maritime sectors,” said Jay New, the port’s CEO. The port has had a successful year in 2022, receiving recognition as the “second fastest-growing port in the world” in April from Alphaliner, a global leader in analyzing maritime transport data, port capabilities, and the future of vessels and shipping route development. The port has been honored twice with this prestigious ranking in the last four years, reflecting its commitment to continuous efforts to further develop its infrastructure, improve the depth and breadth of its offering, and enhance its operations. The port handled 2,905,306 twenty-foot equivalent unit of containerized cargo at its container terminal up from 2,813,920 TEU recorded in 2021. In another major milestone, the port facilitated the shipping of 288 trucks to Australia as part of its first ro-ro trial. “Despite the challenging outlook for 2023, we are optimistic that the port will emerge stronger this new year to cement our position as one of the fastest and top-performing growing ports globally. We remain committed to providing the highest level of service to our customers and partners and contributing to national efforts to achieve the goals of Vision 2030,” the CEO added. In May 2022, the port reached a milestone of handling 15 million TEU in a record time since its container terminal started operations 9 years earlier. Additionally, it rose from second place to first place, making it the most efficient container port in the world, according to the 2021 Container Port Performance Index, published by the World Bank and S&P Global Intelligence in May 2022. Substantial growth was also seen in most segments within King Abdullah Port’s non-containerized sector such as break bulk 143 percent, and agri-bulk 108 percent. Other bulk categories increased 52 percent.