Ashraf AboArafe
The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), represented by Jeddah Islamic Port, won the “Best Port in 2022” award, and won the “Digital Transformation” award at the International Green Shipping Summit Awards, in its seventh edition, which was held in the Dutch city of Rotterdam in The period 15-16 February 2023 AD.
This achievement is an affirmation of the qualitative transformation witnessed by the Jeddah Islamic Port and the developments that have contributed to increasing operational efficiency rates, strengthening the maritime sector and growing commercial traffic, and a culmination of the achievements made by “Mawani” to ensure progress in the fields of sustainability, clean energy and maritime shipping, and initiatives to use the latest technologies and innovative solutions to ensure Environmentally friendly marine industry.
Jeddah Islamic Port’s winning of the “Best Port in 2022” award comes as an extension of its eighth place in the container port efficiency performance index issued by the World Bank, and an affirmation of the development programs and investment plans witnessed by the port, including: signing agreements with strategic partners to establish 5 logistics zones integrated, and the addition of a number of new shipping services, which contributed to the Kingdom achieving the highest progress in the region in the navigation network connectivity index within the UNCTAD report for the fourth quarter of 2022, by recording 71.33 points.
The port is constantly enhancing its operational capabilities by receiving 12 modern and environmentally friendly cranes, designed on the latest technologies, international specifications and “remote” operating systems for container handling through strategic partners operating the southern and northern container terminals. In support of clean energy.
Ports winning the digital transformation award confirms the qualitative transformations witnessed in 2022 AD, and the initiatives that were launched within this framework, including the smart ports initiative to automate operational processes in Saudi ports using fifth generation technologies and artificial intelligence programs, and implementing innovative digital programs that enhance technical connectivity. With port operators, as well as developing port community management systems to achieve expansion of services provided in Saudi ports and double them from 46 current services to 150 targeted services, and enable modern and emerging technologies in accordance with international best practices.
Jeddah Islamic Port won the “Best Port in 2022” award after competing with the ports of Rotterdam and Hamburg, and “Mawani” won the Digital Transformation Award, out of 7 awards granted by the World Summit for the Maritime and Logistics Sector.
It is stated that; The Global Green Shipping Summit is held annually to study the future of the maritime industry through sessions dealing with ideas for developing the sector with smart and innovative solutions, discussing investment opportunities, and integrated planning to reduce emissions and decarbonization. The summit also attracts a large group of major global stakeholders in the maritime sector, and provides wonderful opportunities for exchanging ideas On future strategies towards a sustainable future for maritime business, the summit awards awards to the best practitioners, based on the application of the highest international standards and practices.
