A report issued by the UK publication Container Management showed that Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Port is the fastest growing of any in the publication’s list of top 120 ports.

The report pointed out that King Abdullah Port’s success in achieving rapid growth comes in light of the challenges faced by the market and a slowing down of global economic growth, with the oil sector the most affected.

“All thanks to Allah, King Abdullah Port was able to triple its throughput in 2015 to be ranked the fastest growing amongst the top 120 ports worldwide,” said Abdullah M. Hameedadin, managing director of the Ports Development Company, owner and developer of King Abdullah Port. “This in turn enhances the port’s status and the Kingdom’s strategic commercial role.”

Hameedadin also praised the prominent role and outstanding efforts of all the partners in the operating sectors and their support for King Abdullah Port’s developmental journey, as well as the proud achievements the port accomplished in record time. He stated that the latter comes with the objective of the Saudi ports playing a leading role in advancing the national economy.

The second fastest-growing port in the world was Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi, which increased its throughput noticeably, while throughput at its larger neighbor in Dubai grew by two percent.

In 2015, the annual throughput in King Abdullah Port doubled, reaching 1.3 million TEU, while the annual handling capacity increased by 50 percent, reaching three-million TEU.

The management of King Abdullah Port expects to finalize the first phase of bulk cargo terminals with a capacity of three-million tons, in addition to the roll-on/roll-off terminals with a capacity of 300,000 CEU by the beginning of 2017.

Run by the Ports Development Company, and strategically located on the Red Sea coast on one of the world’s busiest maritime shipping lanes and with direct access to extensive transportation networks and urban centers, King Abdullah Port is the first fully privately owned, developed and operated commercial port in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

King Abdullah Port occupies a total area of 16 square kilometers and enjoys a close proximity to King Abdullah Economic City’s Industrial Valley and the bonded zone. The port makes an increasingly important contribution to the Kingdom’s regional and global role in trade, logistics and shipping. Once fully built, King Abdullah Port will be able to handle 20 million containers (TEU), 1.5 million vehicles (CEU) and 15 million tons of clean bulk cargo every year.