Aqaba Becomes a Major Gateway for Goods Bound for the Gulf as Cargo Handling Rises by More Than 80%

Al-Taj News – Director General of the Aqaba Company for the Management and Operation of Ports Mahmoud Khalifat said Sunday that the Port of Aqaba has become the main gateway to neighboring countries as well as the Gulf states, noting that this has contributed to an increase of more than 80% in cargo handling rates at Aqaba’s ports.

Khalifat explained that Aqaba’s ports have begun handling goods from the Iraqi food basket, which are now passing through Jordanian ports, in addition to handling vehicles bound for the Gulf states and goods destined for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, considering this confirmation of the Port of Aqaba’s status as a major port for neighboring countries.

He added that the increase in cargo handling activity coincided with coordinated efforts among various state agencies to address the significant rise in the volume of goods and ships arriving at the ports. He noted that the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Aqaba Development Corporation, and the government have taken a series of measures to facilitate the entry of foreign trucks, establish new logistics yards, and provide arrangements to handle the increase in cargo movement.

He stressed that the relevant authorities are working to consolidate Aqaba’s role as a regional port, rather than merely a transit route for goods amid regional unrest and crises in the Red Sea and the region, and to establish this activity locally.

He pointed out that the notable increase in cargo volumes has created operational challenges, most notably the need for additional storage capacity. He explained that the new strategy includes establishing logistics areas and allocating new plots of land to accommodate the large volumes of goods arriving at the ports.