MSC launches Europe–Gulf route via Saudi ports to bypass Strait of Hormuz

MSC, the world’s largest container shipping company, has launched a new main trade route linking Europe to the Middle East via Saudi Arabia, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.

The new service combines maritime and land transport, with vessels from Europe calling at Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdullah Port in Rabigh on the Red Sea, before cargo is transported overland to King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam.

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From there, shipments are distributed to ports across the Arabian Gulf via feeder vessels, according to the Saudi Press Agency SPA.

The route connects Jeddah Islamic Port with several major global ports, including Gdańsk, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, València, Barcelona and Gioia Tauro, with a carrying capacity of up to 16,000 standard containers.

Cargo arriving at King Abdullah Port will also be transported by land to Dammam, strengthening multimodal logistics links within the kingdom and enabling onward distribution across Gulf markets.

Authorities said the initiative supports supply chain integration and enhances regional connectivity, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy to position the kingdom as a global logistics hub linking three continents.