Fast Red Sea shipping line linking 4 Saudi, regional ports: Folk Maritime tells Al-Eqtisadiah

JEDDAH: Shipping companies operating in the Red Sea are moving toward expanding their fleets, container capacity, and shipping routes amid heightened operational pressure on Saudi Arabia’s western coast ports, as maritime traffic in the Gulf remains disrupted due to geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Raied Abuhimed, official spokesperson for Public Investment Fund-owned Folk Maritime, told Al-Eqtisadiah that the company is considering expanding its fleet and building additional containers to support future growth.

He noted that the company currently manages more than 9,000 containers, but rising demand is creating a stronger need for expansion.

The company has launched a fast-shipping line in the Red Sea linking the ports of Yanbu, Jeddah, Aqaba, and Ain Sokhna, with a voyage cycle of around 10 days. It currently operates three specialized vessels on its India route, with transit times ranging between 10 and 14 days depending on congestion levels and port delays, according to Abuhimed.

Maritime shipments arriving from India, he said, are becoming more frequent as vessel capacity increases and cargo turnover accelerates. The current challenge lies in managing high cargo flows and handling operations within ports.

He added that shipping activity in the Red Sea is currently highly active, driven by shifts in regional shipping routes and growing demand for maritime transport services, emphasizing that the Jeddah Islamic Port, in particular, is experiencing significant operational pressure.

Folk Maritime Services Co. was established in 2023 and operates in container shipping, providing both regional liner services and feeder vessel solutions.

Abuhimed said that contributing to the resilience of supply chains has been a core pillar of the company since its establishment, adding that current disruptions have turned this objective into an operational reality.

He explained that the firm has helped mitigate the impact of the crisis by fully reorienting its fleet to ensure continuity of supply chains in the Kingdom and neighboring countries.

The company has also recently begun operating voyages via Yanbu Port, following the signing of an agreement with Saudi Basic Industries Corp., or SABIC, as part of efforts aimed at enhancing logistics services and easing pressure on Jeddah Port.