DP World and APM Terminals have announced a partnership in the Southern Container Terminal of the Islamic Port of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. According to the agreement, APM Terminals will acquire a minority stake of 37.5%, while DP World will retain the remaining 62.5% and continue to lead the operations of the facility.
In a joint statement, both companies noted that the operation combines complementary capacities to strengthen the role of the Islamic Port of Jeddah as a gateway to Saudi Arabia and a key node in the Red Sea for trade flows between Asia, Europe, and Africa.
In 2019, DP World obtained the concession for construction, operation, and transfer of the terminal for a period of 30 years, after which it undertook significant modernization and expansion of the facility. In March 2025, DP World and the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) officially inaugurated the Southern Container Terminal, an infrastructure that involved an investment of 3 billion Saudi riyals (about 800 million dollars).
The terminal has a total wharf length of 2,150 meters, including a berth with a draft of 18 meters that allows for simultaneous operation of up to five large-capacity container ships. The project, executed over three years, increased capacity from 1.8 million TEU to 4 million TEU, with room to expand to 5 million TEU. The incorporation of additional dock cranes will be carried out based on demand.
Apart from this operation, both DP World and Maersk have made investments in integrated logistics capacity within the Islamic Port of Jeddah, connecting the wharf with storage, distribution, and land transport facilities.
The CEO of DP World, Yuvraj Narayan, emphasized that Saudi Arabia is a strategic market for the company and that the Islamic Port of Jeddah has been central to its development in the kingdom for more than two decades. Narayan indicated that since obtaining the concession in 2019, the company has transformed the Southern Terminal into a modern, high-capacity facility, in line with the goals of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan.
For his part, the CEO of APM Terminals, Keith Svendsen, pointed out that the Islamic Port of Jeddah is a fundamental entry point for the kingdom and a relevant node in the supply chains of its customers. Svendsen indicated that the investment ensures long-term access to quality infrastructure and the ability to offer customers reliable and scalable solutions in Saudi Arabia.