DP World boosts Jeddah Islamic Port with three new quay cranes in $800m upgrade

The new cranes improve port efficiency as Red Sea trade returns.

DP World has added three semi-automated quay cranes at its South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port in Saudi Arabia, increasing the number of ship-to-shore cranes to 17.

The cranes, built by ZPMC and currently in commissioning, form part of an $800m modernisation programme that will raise terminal capacity to 4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 1.8 million.

The programme also includes plans to reach 5 million TEUs as additional equipment is deployed, DP World said in a press release.

The terminal has a quay length of 2,150 metres, including an 18-metre-deep quay, and can accommodate up to five ultra-large container vessels simultaneously.

DP World said the expansion supports handling of larger vessels and higher container volumes as shipping activity returns to the Red Sea.

The company reported throughput of more than 1.3 million TEUs in 2025, more than double the previous year, alongside 38 weekly shipping calls.

The investment forms part of wider infrastructure development across Saudi Arabia in line with Vision 2030.

Mohammad Alshaikh, Chief Executive Officer of DP World KSA, said the company is expanding capacity and operating capability to support higher cargo flows and larger vessels, adding that it is working with port authorities, security partners, and shipping customers to maintain operations across the Red Sea.