Dubai: Saudi importers and exporters now have a direct connection to major trade hubs across Asia and the Mediterranean after the Morten Maersk made its maiden call at DP World’s South Container Terminal in Jeddah.The vessel operates on Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd’s AE15 Gemini Cooperation service, which connects key Asian markets with the Mediterranean and Europe.Jeddah was added to the service rotation earlier this year, giving Saudi shippers direct access to Qingdao and Ningbo in China, Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, and Port Said and Damietta in the Mediterranean.The Morten Maersk is approximately 399 metres long and has capacity for more than 19,000 TEUs, placing it among the world’s largest container vessels.The AE15 service now operates through the Suez Canal following a structural change announced by Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd in July 2026.The companies said the change was intended to improve transit times for customers moving cargo between Asia and Europe, with Jeddah subsequently added to the service rotation.South Container Terminal investment continuesDP World is also investing in the development of South Container Terminal to increase operational efficiency and expand its long-term capacity to handle growing cargo volumes.The programme includes new equipment, greater automation and the progressive decarbonisation of terminal operations.The investments are aimed at improving cargo-handling reliability and efficiency while giving shipping lines and cargo owners the infrastructure needed to support changing trade flows through Jeddah.Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, where she spends her days unpacking money, markets, aviation, and the big shifts shaping life in the Gulf. Before returning to Gulf News, she launched Finance Middle East, complete with a podcast and video series.