DP World has installed three new semi-automated quay cranes at its Jeddah Islamic Port terminal, boosting capacity to handle the world’s largest container vessels as part of an $800 million modernisation programme to support Red Sea trade recovery.
JEDDAH: As the Red Sea corridor slowly finds its footing again, DP World is making sure Jeddah is ready for what comes next. The global ports and logistics giant has added three new semi-automated quay cranes at its South Container Terminal in Jeddah Islamic Port, expanding its capacity to handle the world’s largest container vessels and keep trade flowing despite ongoing maritime security challenges in the region.
Built by ZPMC and currently in commissioning, the three new cranes each carry a lifting capacity of 65 tonnes and bring the terminal’s total number of ship-to-shore cranes from 14 to 17, with plans already in place to reach 22 as future capacity upgrades are rolled out. The additions allow the terminal to serve multiple mainline vessels simultaneously, improving berth productivity and significantly reducing turnaround times for some of the biggest ships on the water.
The expansion is part of DP World’s broader $800 million modernisation programme at the terminal, which has already increased capacity from 1.8 million to 4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), with a future target of 5 million TEUs as demand continues to grow. DP World Jeddah’s South Container Terminal spans 2,150 metres of quay length, including a deep-water berth at 18 metres depth capable of accommodating up to five ultra-large container vessels at the same time.
The timing is deliberate. Shipping activity is returning to the Red Sea corridor, and 2025 saw DP World Jeddah handle over 1.3 million TEUs, more than double the volumes of the previous year, as shipping lines resumed services and weekly calls grew to 38.
Mohammad Alshaikh, CEO of DP World KSA, was straightforward about the goal. “By expanding capacity and enhancing operational agility, we are helping our customers move goods more efficiently and strengthening the terminal’s ability to accommodate larger vessels and growing container volumes,” he said, adding that the company is working closely with port authorities, security partners, and shipping customers to ensure safe and reliable operations across the Red Sea and beyond.
For Saudi Arabia’s ambitions as a leading global logistics hub, investments of this scale send exactly the right message to the world’s shipping community.
