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.
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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.



China Expands Visa-free Entry to More Countries in Bid to Boost Economy

Shoppers with their purchased goods walk past a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, on Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Shoppers with their purchased goods walk past a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, on Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
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China Expands Visa-free Entry to More Countries in Bid to Boost Economy

Shoppers with their purchased goods walk past a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, on Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Shoppers with their purchased goods walk past a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, on Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

China announced Friday that it would expand visa-free entry to citizens of nine more countries as it seeks to boost tourism and business travel to help revive a sluggish economy.
Starting Nov. 30, travelers from Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Estonia, Latvia and Japan will be able to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.
That will bring to 38 the number of countries that have been granted visa-free access since last year. Only three countries had visa-free access previously, and theirs had been eliminated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The permitted length of stay for visa-free entry is being increased from the previous 15 days, Lin said, and people participating in exchanges will be eligible for the first time. China has been pushing people-to-people exchange between students, academics and others to try to improve its sometimes strained relations with other countries, The Associated Press reported.
China strictly restricted entry during the pandemic and ended its restrictions much later than most other countries. It restored the previous visa-free access for citizens of Brunei and Singapore in July 2023, and then expanded visa-free entry to six more countries — France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia — on Dec. 1 of last year.
The program has since been expanded in tranches. Some countries have announced visa-free entry for Chinese citizens, notably Thailand, which wants to bring back Chinese tourists.
For the three months from July through September this year, China recorded 8.2 million entries by foreigners, of which 4.9 million were visa-free, the official Xinhua News Agency said, quoting a Foreign Ministry consular official.