Dammam-based King Abdulaziz Port has become the first on the kingdom’s east coast to receive a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-powered container vessel CMA CGM SYMI, reported SPA.

 

Boasting a capacity of 15,400 TEUs and measuring 366 m long, 51 m wide along with a draft of 16 m, CMA CGM SYMI has been running on clean energy since entering service in 2022, reflecting the maritime industry’s growing intent to go carbon-neutral across its operations.

 

The vessel’s arrival is testament to the world-class ability of King Abdulaziz Port and its terminal operator, Saudi Global Ports (SGP), which makes it a highly sought-after destination for trade and logistics by container giants such as CMA CGM. 

 

With a strategic location at the crossroads of three major continents, the Saudi ports sector is well-equipped to strengthen global supply chains and lead a sustainable future across the shipping landscape, in line with the ambitions of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS), and the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative that pledges to reduce 278 million tons of carbon emissions every year by 2030, it stated.

 

LNG-powered vessels are no strangers to Saudi shores, reported SPA, citing the mega containership CMA CGM Jacques Saade which docked at Jeddah Islamic Port in 2021. 

 

The largest boxship to run on LNG in the world, the groundbreaking vessel CGM Jacques Saade features a capacity of 23,000 TEUs, a length of 400m and a width of 61m.