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JEDDAH: ������Ƶ’s ports authority has launched its 30th new shipping service of the year, adding a direct route between Jeddah Islamic Port and Port Sudan. 

The “JSS” service, operated by Marsa Ocean Shipping, offers capacity for 1,118 containers and is expected to strengthen trade flows across the Red Sea and support the Kingdom’s exports, said the Saudi Ports Authority, also known as Mawani. 

The move is part of Mawani’s drive to improve global rankings, enhance efficiency at Jeddah port, and strengthen ������Ƶ’s role as a trade link between Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The initiative also supports Vision 2030 goals to raise the logistics sector’s contribution to gross domestic product from 6 percent to 10 percent by 2030. 

In a post on its official X handle, the authority said: “As part of Mawani’s ongoing efforts to enhance the competitiveness of the Kingdom’s ports, the ‘JSS’ shipping service, operated by ‘Marsa Ocean Shipping,’ has been added to Jeddah Islamic Port, representing the 30th new service introduced since the start of 2025.” 

This comes on the back of several new connections, with Goodrich launching the RSX1 service in August, linking Jeddah to Port Sudan, Djibouti, and Jebel Ali in the UAE with 720 TEUs capacity, while Blue Ocean Shipping introduced the BOS service to Qingdao, Ningbo, and Nansha in China, with 2,300 TEUs capacity. 

In July, CMA CGM began operating the LRX service, connecting Jeddah to Latakia in Syria, as well as Iskenderun and Mersin in Turkiye, and Beirut in Lebanon, with a capacity of 2,826 TEUs. That marked ������Ƶ’s first direct shipping link with Syria. 

Other recent additions include the AR2 Asia Redsea service by Wan Hai Lines, linking Jeddah to major ports in China, Turkiye, Egypt, and Jordan with a capacity of 3,700 TEUs, and the IM2 service by Emirates Line and Wan Hai, connecting to Mundra in India, Alexandria in Egypt, and Mersin in Turkiye. 

In March, Mawani launched the “Chinook Clanga” service, operated by Mediterranean Shipping Co., at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam and Jubail Commercial Port, connecting ������Ƶ’s eastern ports to 16 regional and international destinations. 

The service strengthens links across the Arabian Gulf to key ports, including Khalifa Bin Salman in Bahrain, Hamad in Qatar, Nhava Sheva in India, Colombo in Sri Lanka, and Singapore. 

RIYADH: The UAE’s construction output is projected to reach $130.8 billion by 2029, a 22 percent increase from 2024, as state-led projects drive growth, according to a new analysis. 

In its latest report, global consulting firm Knight Frank estimated output at $107.2 billion in 2024, with expansion forecast at about 4 percent annually.  

The rise in construction output reflects a broader trend across the Gulf Cooperation Council, where countries are steadily diversifying their economies and reducing reliance on crude revenues. 

A July Knight Frank report projected ������Ƶ’s construction output to hit $191 billion by 2029, up 29 percent from 2024, on the back of giga-projects, housing demand, and office development. 

Commenting on the latest report, Faisal Durrani, partner, head of research of Knight Frank in the Middle East and North Africa, said: “The UAE construction industry is in a period of robust growth and transformation, driven by economic diversification, tourism and strategic infrastructure investments, particularly in housing, transport and smart cities.”  

According to the report, construction accounts for 62 percent of the UAE’s future project pipeline, ahead of transport at 12 percent, power at 7 percent, and water at 5 percent.  

Within construction, mixed-use schemes account for 42 percent, followed by residential real estate at 28 percent, data centers at 9 percent, and hospitality projects at 4 percent. 

The sector supports key national and emirate-level strategies, including “We the UAE 2031,” Dubai’s D33 agenda, the 2040 Urban Master Plan, and Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030. 

“Abu Dhabi and Dubai dominate the UAE market, accounting for 85 percent of the total value of contracts awarded between 2020 and August 2025 – $151 billion in Abu Dhabi and $129.9 billion in Dubai,” added Durrani.  

In the second quarter of 2025, residential construction costs ranged from 4,200 dirhams ($1,144) per sq. meter for standard villas to 11,000 dirhams for high-end villas, while apartments averaged 4,300 dirhams, according to the Knight Frank report. 

The cost of constructing commercial buildings in the first half of this year ranged from 5,500 dirhams to 7,300 dirhams per square meter. 

Dubai led momentum, with 75 percent of its contract activity concentrated in construction. Oil and gas projects accounted for only 3 percent of awards, highlighting the emirate’s economic diversification.  

Upcoming developments include Palm Jebel Ali, The Oasis by Emaar, and Marsa Al Arab, as well as Therme Dubai, Naia Island, and DAMAC Lagoons’ Venice community, alongside expansions at Dubai Hills Estate. The emirate is also extending its metro system by 15 km with the Blue Line by 2029. 

“Continuous strategic economic development is reshaping Dubai’s commercial real estate landscape and the latest construction output figures reflect the strong fundamentals of the market,” said Moataz Mosallam, partner – Project & Development Services, MENA at Knight Frank.  

He said Dubai’s population is expected to rise from 3.4 million in 2020 to 5.8 million by 2040 under the Urban Masterplan, driving residential growth. He noted that about 8.2 million sq. feet of office space is due by 2028, but demand is likely to outstrip supply, keeping construction activity strong. 

In Abu Dhabi, construction made up 23 percent of awarded contracts, trailing oil and gas at 40 percent. The emirate is pursuing major infrastructure projects under its Economic Vision 2030, including a 150-km high-speed rail link to Dubai due by 2030 and a planned 131-km metro system. 

Major projects include a 150-km high-speed rail link to Dubai, expected to be operational by 2030, and the planned 131-km Abu Dhabi Metro, aimed at supporting the city’s growing population. 

“Some 890 residential units were delivered in Abu Dhabi in the first half of 2025, and approximately 33,074 are under construction and scheduled for delivery by 2029. Apartments are expected to comprise 71 percent of this future supply pipeline,” said Mosallam.  

Office supply is also set to surge, with nearly 175,000 sq. meters scheduled for 2027, following 51,000 sq. meters in 2025 and 43,000 sq. meters in 2026.