Amman — As cargo and container traffic through Aqaba continues to grow amid regional shifts that have altered trade routes, handling volumes are no longer the only measure of port efficiency. Container dwell time and the cost of moving goods through the various stages of the supply chain have emerged as critical factors in strengthening the port’s competitiveness and consolidating its role as a regional logistics gateway.
Official data indicate a relative improvement in operational performance, including shorter container dwell times, reduced pressure on storage yards, and an increase in the daily capacity of container exit gates. However, the rapid growth in transit traffic, particularly cargo bound for Iraq, is testing the sustainability of these gains amid the need to develop infrastructure, expand capacity, and address bottlenecks that continue to delay the movement of goods from ships to their final destinations.
Specialists say government and operational measures adopted in recent months have strengthened the resilience of the Aqaba system and enabled it to absorb exceptional flows. However, consolidating these gains requires moving from managing temporary pressures to developing an integrated logistics system capable of competing on time, cost and delivery reliability.
Improved Dwell Times and Higher Operating Capacity
Operational indicators show an improvement in container traffic. The average dwell time for transit containers fell from around 14-15 days to approximately 12 days, while the average dwell time for containers destined for the domestic market stabilized at around eight days. At the same time, the daily capacity of container exit gates increased from 900 to 1,200 containers, an increase of nearly 33%, according to data from the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority.
According to authority data released early last September, a plan to move unclaimed containers helped reduce utilization of storage capacity at Aqaba Container Port from around 102% before the plan was implemented to approximately 80%. Transit container dwell time also fell from 14 days to 12 days, while the dwell time for incoming containers dropped from 11 days to 8.5 days.
These indicators have economic significance beyond improving the flow of operations inside the port. Shorter dwell times reduce storage, yard and delay costs, while accelerating the utilization cycle of containers and trucks. This, in turn, affects the cost of transporting goods and their ability to reach markets on schedule.
In another indication of sustained high activity, Aqaba Container Port handled more than 104,000 TEUs in August through 58 vessels, compared with around 101,900 TEUs in July. August was the second consecutive month in which handling volumes exceeded 100,000 containers.
Transit traffic exceeded 20,000 TEUs in August, including more than 10,000 containers bound for Iraq. Imports reached 36,000 containers, while port gates recorded more than 43,000 truck movements, according to data from Aqaba Container Terminal.
Transit Traffic Surges 162%, Iraq Leads Growth
The growth in transit traffic highlights the scale of the transformation taking place in Aqaba as regional trade routes shift, placing additional pressure on port facilities, storage yards, land transport networks and border crossings.
Captain Mohammad Al-Dalabih, secretary-general of the Jordan Shipping Association, said transit containers increased by 162% during the first eight months of this year, reaching 101,050 containers compared with 38,459 during the same period in 2025.
He added that transit containers bound for Iraq recorded a particularly sharp increase, reaching 47,584 containers compared with 4,363 during the first eight months of last year.
The number of refrigerated containers also rose by 25%, from 10,873 to 13,612 during the same period, while entries of general cargo containers increased by 12.7%.
According to Al-Dalabih, the figures reflect the expanding flows handled by the Aqaba system and the growing pressure on its operational and logistical capacity, at a time when maintaining the flow of goods requires continuous coordination among all relevant parties.
He said the response to these changes involved meetings and coordination between the public and private sectors, followed by measures including the provision of storage yards outside the port, adjustments related to truck movements, customs facilitation and measures at border crossings. These steps helped absorb the additional flows and maintain the movement of goods.
He stressed that the importance of these measures goes beyond addressing current pressures, offering an opportunity to strengthen Aqaba’s position as a regional logistics gateway, provided that storage yards continue to be expanded, operational capabilities developed, and preparations made for any further increase in cargo traffic.
Despite improvements in some operational indicators, container efficiency remains dependent on the ability of all parts of the system to operate at a coordinated pace, from unloading vessels and inspection to customs clearance, land transport and the movement of goods out of the port.
Importer Jamal Amr said measures taken to facilitate container movement, particularly faster customs procedures, digitization of transactions, electronic data exchange and the use of modern equipment, had helped speed up cargo movement and shorten part of the container cycle. In his assessment, this had reduced some of the costs borne by importers.
He added that the increased flow of cargo and vessels into Aqaba, whether destined for the Jordanian market or neighboring countries, continues to place pressure on the system’s capacity.
He noted that the period between unloading a container from a vessel and its arrival at inspection yards remains one of the stages requiring further attention. Restrictions related to the number of truck trips may affect the speed of cargo movement when inventories and container volumes rise, he said.
Amr called for a review of mechanisms governing truck movements to ensure they match cargo volumes and operational capacity while maintaining regulatory and safety requirements.
These challenges highlight the importance of treating container dwell time as the result of the performance of an integrated supply chain rather than the efficiency of the port alone. Delays in inspection, customs clearance or truck allocation can limit the impact of improvements achieved at other stages.
Cutting Costs Requires Measuring the Full Container Cycle
Nizar Saleh, head of the Jordanian Logistics Association, said reducing container dwell times eases pressure on port yards while also lowering costs incurred by importers, exporters, transport companies and logistics providers.
He explained that each additional day can generate storage, yard and delay costs, while disrupting the utilization cycle of containers and trucks and delaying the arrival of goods at their destinations.
Saleh stressed that measuring the efficiency of the system should not be limited to the time a container remains inside the port. It should cover the entire container cycle, from the vessel’s arrival, handling and customs clearance to the release and delivery of goods. This would allow the overall cost to be measured, improve delivery reliability and strengthen the competitiveness of Jordanian exports.
He noted that Jordan already has electronic systems for regulating truck movements and facilitating pre-clearance, saying the current priority should be to improve the efficiency of these systems, strengthen integration and enhance information exchange among the port, customs authorities, regulatory bodies, shipping companies and transport operators.
He added that improving yard and gate management, scheduling truck entry and exit, and reducing repetitive procedures and waiting times would enhance system efficiency and lower costs associated with cargo movement.
Government Measures to Ease Pressure and Improve Supply Flows
As part of efforts to address operational challenges, the Cabinet approved measures at its September 17 meeting to tackle challenges facing the port system and supply chains.
The measures included extending the grace period for national exports at Aqaba Container Port from seven to 14 days for six months. The government also amended the amounts collected from liable parties, setting the fee at JD50 per ton or part thereof for three months, compared with the previous amount of JD450.
The decisions followed earlier measures that included expanding storage yards and logistics centers, developing support services, speeding up customs clearance and reducing cargo dwell times. They also included transferring part of the customs clearance procedures to Amman Customs and exempting transit trips operating through border crossings from the applicable trip limits for three months.
Zaid Al-Kalaldeh, chairman of the Jordan Shipping Association’s board, said the increase in cargo flows had exposed challenges related to infrastructure and the number of available trucks. However, he said the government had responded flexibly to recommendations from the sector by coordinating with relevant authorities, including the Jordan Shipping Association, conducting field visits to border centers and Aqaba ports, and taking measures aimed at ensuring the continuity of supply chains.
He added that congestion in the Red Sea and regional conditions had affected vessel arrival schedules and routes, with some vessels forced to change destinations and head to Aqaba. Coordination among the relevant authorities helped manage these changes and maintain smooth operations, he said.
Al-Kalaldeh stressed the need to capitalize on current conditions over the medium and long term by strengthening infrastructure, increasing the readiness of border crossings and expanding the capacity of the trucking sector. These steps would help consolidate Aqaba as a key port for maintaining regional supply chains and strengthen its role in transit traffic, particularly toward Iraq.
From Crisis Response to a Sustainable Logistics Corridor
The priority for the next phase is to turn measures introduced to deal with the exceptional increase in cargo traffic into sustainable operational improvements that enhance Aqaba’s competitiveness even after the pressures that caused trade routes to shift subside.
In this context, Saleh stressed that sustaining transit traffic requires a stable and predictable operating environment and efficiency across the entire chain, from vessel arrival, handling, storage and customs clearance to land transport, border crossings and the final destination of goods.
The data indicate that sustainable growth will depend not only on the volume of cargo flows but also on the system’s ability to convert those flows into regular commercial and logistics activity supported by appropriate infrastructure, integrated procedures, competitive transit times and predictable costs.
