Mawani Introduces New Shipping Service at Jeddah Islamic Port

Mawani announced the addition of the new shipping service 'NRS' by Folk Maritime to Jeddah Islamic Port.
Mawani announced the addition of the new shipping service 'NRS' by Folk Maritime to Jeddah Islamic Port.
TT

Mawani Introduces New Shipping Service at Jeddah Islamic Port

Mawani announced the addition of the new shipping service 'NRS' by Folk Maritime to Jeddah Islamic Port.
Mawani announced the addition of the new shipping service 'NRS' by Folk Maritime to Jeddah Islamic Port.

The Saudi Ports Authority, Mawani, has announced the addition of the new shipping service 'NRS' by Folk Maritime to Jeddah Islamic Port that aims to connect Saudi Arabia to various ports along the North Red Sea, the Saudi Press Agency said on Monday.
The introduction of these two new services is set to meet the increasing market demands and trade activities in the region.
It will further establish the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub that bridges three continents, in line with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS).
According to a statement, the launch of the NRS service is a testament to the collaborative efforts and mutual support between Mawani and Folk Maritime. The latter is expanding its operational and logistics activities as a new player in the regional market and the first Saudi maritime line specializing in container and feeder ships.
The NRS shipping service will link Jeddah Islamic Port to Yanbu Commercial Port, Neom Port, Aqaba Port in Jordan, and Sokhna Port in Egypt. It promises regular weekly trips with a capacity of up to 1,300 TEUs.
It is important to highlight that introducing new shipping services to Jeddah Islamic Port is crucial for enhancing its pivotal role due to its strategic location.
This service enables it to connect three continents—Europe, Asia, and Africa—further solidifying its competitive advantage for exporters, importers, and shipping agents as the premier port on the Red Sea coast for transoceanic maritime trade, container transshipment, and cargo handling.



Gold Jumps, on Track for Best Week in Over a Year on Safe-haven Demand

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
TT

Gold Jumps, on Track for Best Week in Over a Year on Safe-haven Demand

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Gold prices rose over 1% to hit a two-week peak on Friday, heading for the best weekly performance in more than a year, buoyed by safe-haven demand as Russia-Ukraine tensions intensified.

Spot gold jumped 1.3% to $2,703.05 per ounce as of 1245 GMT, hitting its highest since Nov. 8. US gold futures gained 1.1% to $2,705.30.

Bullion rose despite the US dollar hitting a 13-month high, while bitcoin hit a record peak and neared the $100,000 level.

"With both gold and USD (US dollar) rising, it seems that safe-haven demand is lifting both assets," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Ukraine's military said its drones struck four oil refineries, radar stations and other military installations in Russia, Reuters reported.

Gold has gained over 5% so far this week, its best weekly performance since October 2023. Prices have gained around $173 after slipping to a two-month low last week.

"We understand that the price setback has been used by 'Western world' investors under-allocated to gold to build exposure considering the geopolitical risks that are still around. So we continue to expect gold to rise further over the coming months," Staunovo said.

Bullion tends to shine during geopolitical tensions, economic risks, and a low interest rate environment. Markets are pricing in a 59.4% chance of a 25-basis-points cut at the Fed's December meeting, per the CME Fedwatch tool.

However, "if Fed skips or pauses its rate cut in December, that will be negative for gold prices and we could see some pullback," said Soni Kumari, a commodity strategist at ANZ.

The Chicago Federal Reserve president reiterated his support for further US interest rate cuts on Thursday.

On Friday, spot silver rose 1.8% to $31.34 per ounce, platinum eased 0.1% to $960.13 and palladium fell 0.6% to $1,023.55. All three metals were on track for a weekly rise.