AQABA — As maritime transport markets and regional supply chains anticipate a return to normal navigation in the region, the ports of Aqaba are emerging as a vital logistical gateway that Jordan relies upon to bolster its role as a regional trade corridor. This comes amid noticeable growth in cargo handling, vessel arrivals, commodities, and transit trade over recent months.
اضافة اعلان
Recent data indicates that port activity in Aqaba has entered an upward trajectory. According to the Syndicate of Clearance and Cargo Transport Company Owners, clearance and cargo transport companies operating across various customs centers and borders in the Kingdom processed approximately 395,000 customs declarations during the first five months of this year. Meanwhile, the total volume of cargo handling at Aqaba’s main port reached 5.271 million tons, compared to 3.809 million tons during the same period last year—marking an increase of 1.462 million tons.
Additionally, the total number of ships arriving at the ports of Aqaba rose to 728, compared to 711 ships during the same period last year, representing an increase of 17 vessels and a growth rate of nearly 2.4%. The port handled 386,303 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of inbound and outbound containers, including 40,694 outbound containers exported from the Kingdom to global markets.
In parallel, data from the Aqaba Company for Ports Operation and Management (ACPOM) showed an increase in handled cargo at the multi-purpose port, reaching approximately 2.8 million tons from the beginning of the year until the end of the first week of June. This represents a growth rate of 38% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the number of ships received by the port rose to 164, compared to 150 ships—an increase of nearly 9.3%. According to an analysis of these indicators, the discrepancy between handling growth and vessel count growth reflects larger cargo capacities and improved efficiency in managing ships and goods.
In statements to Al-Ghad, the Director General of the Aqaba Company for Ports Operation and Management, Dr. Mahmoud Khleifat, stated that the ongoing cooperation between Jordan and Iraq has strengthened Aqaba's position as a primary port for Iraqi goods. This reinforces Aqaba's role as a major gateway for regional trade and supply chains heading toward neighboring markets. He emphasized the importance of maintaining and developing this role in the coming phase, particularly since vessels transporting Iraqi cargo feature massive capacities and require high operational readiness.
Khleifat noted that Jordanian ports have elevated their readiness recently by modernizing machinery and accelerating loading and unloading operations. He explained that new cargo unloaders with double the operational capacity have been procured, which has facilitated faster and more efficient handling of vessel numbers and cargo volumes.
Khleifat confirmed that the ports of Aqaba, across all their facilities, are highly prepared to receive any additional influx of ships and cargo as regional conditions stabilize and maritime navigation gradually returns to normal. He pointed out that the oil port witnessed significant growth, while the passenger port continues its role in transporting travelers, particularly toward Egypt and other countries. This is accompanied by an increasing intake of trucks loaded with oils, vegetables, and fruits at the cargo port.
Transit trade is gaining growing importance within these indicators. Transit cargo bound for Iraq is projected to exceed the one-million-ton threshold by the end of June. Sugar shipments accounted for 55% of the total transit cargo, followed by corn and barley shipments at 33%, reflecting the correlation of a significant portion of Aqaba’s activity with strategic commodities and supply chains linked to food security.
For his part, the President of the Syndicate of Clearance and Cargo Transport Company Owners, Dr. Deifallah Abu Aqouleh, stated that the upcoming phase requires capitalizing on Jordan’s position as a trade and logistical corridor. It also demands enhancing the utilization of Aqaba’s ports to stimulate movement toward Iraq and neighboring markets, especially with shipping bookings expected to rise over the next two months, particularly in transit trade.
Abu Aqouleh added that the classification of the Port of Aqaba by some shipping lines as a high-risk port—despite the continuous and smooth arrival of vessels on schedule—has led to increased costs due to higher insurance premiums or the diversion of some vessels' routes. He called for addressing these costs to ensure Aqaba remains competitive once stability is restored and ship movements return to normal.
He called for providing additional facilities to Iraq to sustain its reliance on Jordanian ports, alongside reducing costs and fees, particularly in light of anticipated competition from other Arab and regional ports as navigation conditions in the region improve.
Between the growth of cargo handling in Aqaba, the rise in ship, container, and transit traffic, and expectations for regional navigation to stabilize, the coming period appears to be a test of Jordan’s capability to transform its geographic location and qualified ports into a broader economic opportunity. This opportunity extends beyond the mere transit of goods to maximizing Aqaba's role as a logistical hub serving regional trade within a competitive environment that may intensify as other regional ports resume their normal operations.
