Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), Jeddah Islamic Port's flagship terminal, has received the largest environmentally friendly container vessel called the "Al Nefud".

The Al Nefud vessel ship is 400 m long, 60 m wide and 30 m deep and can carry a total cargo of 18,800 containers, said a statement.

The 18,800 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent container units) capacity vessel was welcomed by Dr Nabeel Al Amoudi, president of Port Authority; Aamer Alireza, CEO of RSGT; and Walid Al Dawod, chairman of the board of Arabian Marine Co; who were also joined by a large number of top officials of Jeddah Islamic Port, businessmen and media representatives.

During the reception ceremony, Al Amoudi, president of Port Authority, expressed his gratitude to all parties involved in ensuring the smooth call of the ship.

He said: “This substantial ship is further evidence of the scale of business now handled at Red Sea Gateway Terminal and reflects growing economic activity at Jeddah Islamic Port.”

He also attributed this service to the hard work, dedication and joint efforts of both Jeddah Islamic Port, Red Sea Gateway terminal and Arabian Marine Co.

Alireza said: “Receiving the Al Nefud represents another achievement for RSGT, as it is the largest vessel and marking a new era in shipping here in Saudi Arabia as the most eco-friendly ship, energy efficiency and environmentally improved.”

He added: “Besides providing economies of scale due to its size, the vessel is also considered as the most energy-efficient ship in the world. Its innovative design and technological features will help reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by more than 50 per cent for every container it moves, compared to the industry average.”

RSGT is located strategically along the Asia – Europe route, and is serving some of the biggest shipping lines and vessels in the world. RSGT is ideally connected to major ports around the world, serving vessels calling ports in Far East, Asia, the Gulf, Europe, Americas and the Red Sea. – TradeArabia News Service