Middle East Business: KSA improves its Unctad Liner Shipping Connectivity Index rating – Gulf Digital News

Middle East Business: KSA improves its Unctad Liner Shipping Connectivity Index rating – Gulf Digital News

Consolidating its position as the best connected country in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has improved its performance on the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (Unctad) Liner Shipping Connectivity Index for the third quarter of 2021. 

 

Recording the highest increase in the region on the index, the Kingdom’s rating increased to 70.68 from 70.13 in the corresponding quarter last year as a result of its sustained efforts to strengthen its logistics competitiveness and bolster its position in international maritime transport networks, a statement said.

 

Under the supervision of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), Saudi Arabia has sharpened its focus on further developing its ports and transportation infrastructure and expanding line shipping connectivity besides improving border and customs procedures and reducing trade costs. To meet the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, the Authority has been promoting and supporting logistical and operational capacity-building efforts in the Kingdom’s nine ports. 

 

Mawani launched five new shipping routes over the past two years, including the IO3 line that was launched in January this year to link Jeddah Islamic Port with the Indian Ocean and northern European ports. The new lanes have contributed to the increase in the total volume of containers handled by