DAMMAM: Saudi Arabia has the full operational capacity to absorb any sudden increase in shipping, particularly if part of Gulf cargo is redirected to the Kingdom’s western ports, most notably Jeddah Islamic Port, as a strategic alternative to the Strait of Hormuz amid US-Israeli strikes on Iran, according to industry experts speaking to Al-Eqtisadiah.
Logistics specialists noted that speed and efficiency in operational management will be critical to the success of such a shift, leveraging the full capacity of road networks and advanced infrastructure.
Abdulaziz Al-Qahtani, a member of the National Logistics Committee, said the highway network, particularly the Jeddah-Riyadh corridor, is designed to handle high volumes of heavy truck traffic.
He added that the national land transport fleet is large and diverse and can be quickly redeployed to support new routes without causing structural bottlenecks, noting that electronic scheduling and round-the-clock operations can absorb sudden spikes in demand.
Jinan Al-Omran, a supply chain and logistics specialist, highlighted that Saudi Arabia’s land infrastructure is highly advanced, with main transport corridors linking Jeddah Islamic Port to domestic consumption hubs and Gulf gateways.
