New route integrates sea and land transport networks.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest container shipping firm, has launched a new main trade route connecting Europe to the Middle East via Saudi Arabia, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
The service integrates sea and land transport, with vessels from Europe calling at Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdullah Port on the Red Sea. Cargo is then transported overland to King Abdulaziz Port.
From there, shipments are redistributed to ports across the Arabian Gulf via feeder vessels, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The route links Jeddah Islamic Port with several major global ports, including Gdańsk, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, València, Barcelona, and Gioia Tauro, with a carrying capacity of up to 16,000 standard containers.
Cargo arriving at King Abdullah Port will also be transported overland to King Abdulaziz Port, strengthening multimodal logistics links within the kingdom and enabling onward distribution across Gulf markets.
Authorities said the initiative supports supply chain integration and strengthens regional connectivity, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy to position the kingdom as a global logistics hub connecting three continents.
