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Saudi Arabia Steps Up Shipping Measures to Keep Supply Chains Moving

Air cargo being prepared aboard a Saudia aircraft (SPA). 
Air cargo being prepared aboard a Saudia aircraft (SPA). 
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TT

Saudi Arabia Steps Up Shipping Measures to Keep Supply Chains Moving

Air cargo being prepared aboard a Saudia aircraft (SPA). 
Air cargo being prepared aboard a Saudia aircraft (SPA). 

Saudi Arabia has stepped up exceptional measures to keep goods moving amid regional shipping disruptions, establishing a technical team to ease cargo procedures and dedicated support centers for the aviation and ports sectors.

The measures aim to speed up responses to businesses, improve the operational readiness of logistics facilities, and ensure the continued flow of goods through airports and seaports.

The Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services has informed private sector companies that the team will include representatives of the transport and logistics sector and the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA).

It will address technical and operational obstacles, facilitate procedures for all types of shipments from affected airports, particularly King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and assist public and private sector operators.

Logistics Support

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has launched an air cargo support and knowledge center, while the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has established a similar facility to receive logistics support requests and follow up with relevant authorities.

The ministry urged businesses to report shipping difficulties through designated communication channels so the technical team could examine possible solutions and provide assistance.

Since the outbreak of the US-Iran war earlier this year, Saudi Arabia has introduced operational and regulatory measures to strengthen supply chain resilience and limit the impact of disruptions to regional shipping and trade.

Alternative Shipping Routes

The measures include redirecting some cargo from eastern ports to western facilities, particularly Jeddah Islamic Port, and improving connections between seaports, land border crossings and railway networks.

Authorities have also expanded shipping services in cooperation with the private sector and strengthened road freight operations, drawing on the Kingdom’s fleet of more than 500,000 trucks.

Combined land, air and sea transport solutions are being used to help shipments reach their destinations efficiently.

The initiatives are intended to diversify transport routes, improve operational readiness and strengthen cooperation with businesses to maintain trade flows and the efficiency of Saudi Arabia’s logistics network amid regional disruptions.

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Business

Saudi Arabia Steps Up Shipping Measures to Keep Supply Chains Moving

Air cargo being prepared aboard a Saudia aircraft (SPA). 
Air cargo being prepared aboard a Saudia aircraft (SPA). 
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia Steps Up Shipping Measures to Keep Supply Chains Moving

Air cargo being prepared aboard a Saudia aircraft (SPA). 
Air cargo being prepared aboard a Saudia aircraft (SPA). 

Saudi Arabia has stepped up exceptional measures to keep goods moving amid regional shipping disruptions, establishing a technical team to ease cargo procedures and dedicated support centers for the aviation and ports sectors.

The measures aim to speed up responses to businesses, improve the operational readiness of logistics facilities, and ensure the continued flow of goods through airports and seaports.

The Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services has informed private sector companies that the team will include representatives of the transport and logistics sector and the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA).

It will address technical and operational obstacles, facilitate procedures for all types of shipments from affected airports, particularly King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and assist public and private sector operators.

Logistics Support

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has launched an air cargo support and knowledge center, while the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has established a similar facility to receive logistics support requests and follow up with relevant authorities.

The ministry urged businesses to report shipping difficulties through designated communication channels so the technical team could examine possible solutions and provide assistance.

Since the outbreak of the US-Iran war earlier this year, Saudi Arabia has introduced operational and regulatory measures to strengthen supply chain resilience and limit the impact of disruptions to regional shipping and trade.

Alternative Shipping Routes

The measures include redirecting some cargo from eastern ports to western facilities, particularly Jeddah Islamic Port, and improving connections between seaports, land border crossings and railway networks.

Authorities have also expanded shipping services in cooperation with the private sector and strengthened road freight operations, drawing on the Kingdom’s fleet of more than 500,000 trucks.

Combined land, air and sea transport solutions are being used to help shipments reach their destinations efficiently.

The initiatives are intended to diversify transport routes, improve operational readiness and strengthen cooperation with businesses to maintain trade flows and the efficiency of Saudi Arabia’s logistics network amid regional disruptions.

Business

Saudi Arabia Leads OPEC+ Production Recovery Toward Pre-War Levels

Aramco storage tanks and pipelines (Aramco) 
Aramco storage tanks and pipelines (Aramco) 
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Saudi Arabia Leads OPEC+ Production Recovery Toward Pre-War Levels

Aramco storage tanks and pipelines (Aramco) 
Aramco storage tanks and pipelines (Aramco) 

OPEC+ crude oil output rebounded in October to nearly its pre-Iran war level, driven by a sharp increase in Saudi production despite continued disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Saudi Arabia reported its highest output since the war began, helping lift the alliance’s combined production to 41.23 million barrels per day (bpd), according to OPEC’s monthly report released Wednesday.

That represented an increase of approximately 2.04 million bpd from September and brought production to about 97% of the 42.72 million bpd recorded in February, according to Reuters calculations based on OPEC data.

The rebound highlights the ability of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf producers to restore supplies despite the war’s continuing impact and restrictions on tanker movements through the strategic waterway.

Some producers have worked around the disruptions through alternative shipping arrangements, including ship-to-ship oil transfers, and pipelines that allow crude exports to bypass the strait.

Saudi Arabia Drives Production Increase

Saudi Arabia informed OPEC that its crude output rose to 10.563 million bpd in October, up from approximately 8.372 million bpd in September, an increase of nearly 26%.

That marked its highest level since February, when production reached 10.882 million bpd.

The Kingdom had raised output in February, ahead of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, reflecting its readiness to bolster supplies amid expectations of escalating market disruptions.

The latest figures show that Riyadh substantially increased production in October despite persistent risks to regional oil exports.

Iraq also reported higher output, reaching approximately 4.9 million bpd, its highest level since the conflict began.

However, secondary sources cited by OPEC estimated Iraqi production at 4.491 million bpd, placing it close to its assigned production target.

Russian, Kazakh and Nigerian Output Rises

Russian oil production increased by approximately 41,000 bpd in October from September to 8.668 million bpd, according to secondary-source data in OPEC’s report.

The increase followed months of declining output amid Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, including oil refineries.

US President Donald Trump announced an energy-sector ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine last month, but the agreement failed to hold in any meaningful way.

Nevertheless, a temporary reduction in attacks on Russian refining facilities may have helped support production.

Kazakhstan’s output also increased, rising by approximately 34,000 bpd month on month to 1.887 million bpd.

In Nigeria, crude oil production averaged 1.69 million bpd in October, according to the country’s petroleum regulator, marking the sixth consecutive month in which Nigeria met its OPEC production quota.

Excluding condensates, output stood at approximately 1.51 million bpd, slightly above its quota of 1.5 million bpd.

The regulator attributed the improvement to greater operational efficiency, more consistent production and better transportation of crude from oilfields to export terminals.

OPEC Maintains Demand Forecasts

OPEC left its forecasts for global oil demand growth in 2026 and 2027 unchanged, after lowering its demand-growth estimates for six consecutive months.

The organization expects global demand to increase by approximately 180,000 bpd in 2026 and by 2.55 million bpd in 2027, bringing average worldwide consumption to 108.3 million bpd.

The projections come as October’s production figures point to a recovery in Gulf supplies after months of disruptions that forced several producers to reduce output or suspend some exports.

The rebound is particularly significant as OPEC+ prepares to complete a review of its members’ maximum production capacities in the coming days.

The findings will help determine production targets for 2027.

The alliance is scheduled to meet online on November 29 to discuss next year’s output targets, with members facing markedly different circumstances.

While some countries have restored much of their production capacity, others continue to contend with operational constraints and export-related challenges.

Business

How Will Saudi Arabia’s Consumer Protection Law Reshape Relations Between Buyers and Sellers?

Centria Mall in Riyadh (Saudi Tourism)
Centria Mall in Riyadh (Saudi Tourism)
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How Will Saudi Arabia’s Consumer Protection Law Reshape Relations Between Buyers and Sellers?

Centria Mall in Riyadh (Saudi Tourism)
Centria Mall in Riyadh (Saudi Tourism)

Saudi Arabia’s new consumer protection law could reshape everyday transactions in the kingdom, promising greater transparency, safeguards against harmful business practices and easier access to redress.

But its real test will be whether effective enforcement and swift complaint resolution turn legal guarantees into tangible protection.

Lawyer and legal consultant Dr. Tael bin Fahm told Asharq Al-Awsat that the law could strengthen relations between consumers and businesses by making transactions more transparent and clarifying mutual rights and obligations, creating a more reliable and consistent shopping and service experience.

For consumers, the biggest change would be a shift from seeking redress after suffering harm to preventing it in the first place, he said. That would require clear information on products, services, prices, warranties, contract terms and complaint procedures.

Making Consumer Rights Easier to Enforce

Consumers have long faced hurdles in asserting their rights, from difficulties proving violations and navigating multiple authorities to lengthy disputes, particularly over warranties and defective products, Bin Fahm said.

For some, the cost of pursuing a complaint outweighs the damage itself, discouraging them from seeking compensation.

The solution, he said, lies in simpler complaint procedures, faster decisions, clearer escalation channels and digital tools to track cases.

Recognizing consumer rights is not enough; consumers must be able to exercise them.

Stronger legal protections could also push businesses to improve service quality, ensure credible advertising, strengthen after-sales support and resolve customer complaints more quickly, Bin Fahm said.

Beyond tackling violations, he said, the law could bolster consumer confidence and foster a more competitive market where respect for consumer rights becomes a core measure of business performance.

Enforcement Holds the Key

The law offers an opportunity to strengthen consumer protection as Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce sector expands and the range of goods and services grows. But Bin Fahm cautioned that its impact would depend on enforcement, not merely enactment.

Legislation lays the groundwork, he said, but effective oversight, enforcement procedures and public awareness are what turn legal protections into reality.

He identified clear implementing regulations, effective market oversight, swift complaint resolution, meaningful penalties and accessible compensation for valid claims as critical to success. Greater awareness of rights and responsibilities among consumers and businesses would also be essential.

To gauge whether the law is delivering, Bin Fahm called for measurable benchmarks, including average complaint resolution times, dispute settlement rates, consumer satisfaction and reductions in repeat violations.

Ultimately, he said, success would be measured not by the number of legal provisions or penalties, but by whether consumers feel safe and confident in everyday transactions and can secure their rights without complicated procedures or costs disproportionate to the harm suffered.

The goal is a market where consumer rights are respected as a matter of course and fair business practices are the rule, not the exception.