Monday Mega Story: Mundra Port will now be directly connected to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

A big and reassuring news has come out for the import-export and maritime trade of Gujarat and India. The Saudi Ports Authority has announced that a new South Red Sea shipping service operating in the Red Sea has now been extended to the Islamic Port of Jeddah in western Saudi Arabia. Operated by Emirates Shipping Line, this new maritime route will now directly connect Mundra Port in Gujarat with Jeddah Port and Djibouti Port in Africa. This new route is not just a geographical advertisement, but can prove to be a gamechanger for the local industries of Gujarat as well as the global supply chain. Today, global shipping is facing a dual challenge. On the one hand, there is a lot of unrest in the Strait of Hormuz due to Iran-Israel and other reasons, and on the other hand, there is a fear of Houthi rebel attacks in the southern part of the Red Sea. In such a situation, this new 'Western Corridor' (Jeddah route) of Saudi Arabia provides a safe and strategic option. The route, which lies on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, is considered relatively safe. This route is part of Riyadh's master plan to become a 'global logistics hub'. Ground-Zero Impact: Which industries in Gujarat will benefit directly? The biggest positive impact of this new direct route will be on the MSME sector of Gujarat. Why was Mundra port chosen for the new route? > Fast Rail Access: Mundra Port operated by Adani Ports is similar to the gateway to a high-speed cargo train network called 'Western Dedicated Freight Corridor'. > Direct access to NCR: The cargo arriving at Mundra Port through SRS shipping service will be able to reach the National Capital Region (NCR) and other industrial areas of North India directly and very fast. Mundra has been chosen because of its state-of-the-art facilities as per global maritime standards. > Shipment Data Point: Ships operating on this route have a capacity to carry approximately 2,144 TEUs of cargo. The first ship on this route, 'An Hai', left Mundra for Djibouti on June 4.