DP World and Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) have unveiled the new South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port, marking a “milestone” in DP World’s $800m expansion and development programme to upgrade the terminal.
The three-year project has doubled the capacity from 1.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to 4 million TEUs.
The terminal spans a total quay length of 2,150 metres, including a deep-water quay with an 18-metre depth, capable of accommodating up to five ultra-large container vessels simultaneously.
DP World said the expansion paves the way for a future capacity of 5 million TEUs, with additional ship-to-shore equipment to be deployed.
In response to the growing demand for perishable cargo such as food and pharmaceuticals, the terminal’s capacity for refrigerated containers (reefers) has also been expanded from 1,200 to 2,340.
In addition, DP World is developing a facility for inspecting up to 75 reefers at one time-the biggest such port-centric facility in the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, DP World is implementing initiatives to reduce CO₂ emissions at South Container Terminal by 50% in the next five years.
Measures include the electrification of yard cranes and trucks, solar panel installations, exploration of floating solar platforms, along with green building designs and water recycling systems.
Photo credit: DP World
Adjacent to the terminal, DP World is investing in the 415,000 square metre Jeddah Logistics Park, the largest integrated facility of its kind in the Kingdom, which will offer warehousing, distribution and freight forwarding services.
Integrated with the terminal, Jeddah Logistics Park will streamline cargo transfers and enhance efficiency, with completion scheduled for Q2 2026.
