Saudi Ports Handle 28m Tons of Cargo in May

Saudi Ports Handle 28m Tons of Cargo in May
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Saudi Ports Handle 28m Tons of Cargo in May

Saudi Ports Handle 28m Tons of Cargo in May

Saudi Arabia’s ports handled more than 28 million tons of cargo in May, the Authority (Mawani) revealed on Thursday. Tnumber of containers amounted to 613,000, an increase of 6.36 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

According to Mawani’s statistical index, the number of vessels received by Saudi ports during the same month amounted to 919, 10,000 passengers, 57,000 vehicles and 480,000 heads of livestock.

“This remarkable increase affirms the strength of the Saudi economy, its supply chains and commercial traffic,” Mawani said in a statement.

“It highlights the quality and effectiveness of the Kingdom’s performance and continued business in efficient and competent manners, in light of the economic challenges the world is facing due to the coronavirus pandemic.”

Mawani aims to contribute in stimulating the logistic services industry, facilitating and supporting import and export processes in the Kingdom and making them more smooth, flexible and competitive.

This comes within its strategic plans and ambitious initiatives that seek to enhance the competitiveness of its services and raise the level of its maritime, operational and logistical operations, for a promising future for the logistic services sector and for Saudi ports.

In other news, the Saudi Grains Organization (SAGO) announced on Thursday issuing its fourth tender in 2020 to import 960,000 tons of feed barley for supply during August and September.

Governor of SAGO Eng. Ahmad Abdulaziz al-Fares said the amount specified is distributed on 16 ships. Twelve of these ships will arrive in the Kingdom’s ports on the Red Sea and the four other ships will arrive in the Arabian Gulf ports.

The tender is an extension to the Kingdom’s plan to meet the local demand for feed barley and maintain its strategic reserve, Fares stressed.



China Denies It Is Currently in Talks with Washington over Tariffs

A general view shows container ships at a terminal with Hong Kong's financial center, including IFC 2, in the background in Hong Kong, China, April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu 
A general view shows container ships at a terminal with Hong Kong's financial center, including IFC 2, in the background in Hong Kong, China, April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu 
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China Denies It Is Currently in Talks with Washington over Tariffs

A general view shows container ships at a terminal with Hong Kong's financial center, including IFC 2, in the background in Hong Kong, China, April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu 
A general view shows container ships at a terminal with Hong Kong's financial center, including IFC 2, in the background in Hong Kong, China, April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu 

Beijing on Thursday denied it has held trade talks with Washington despite repeated comments from the US government suggesting there had been engagement.

“There is currently no economic and trade negotiations between China and the United States,” the Chinese commerce ministry’s spokesperson He Yadong said.

Yadong added, “Any claims about the progress of China-US trade negotiations are groundless as trying to catch the wind and have no factual basis.”

US President Donald Trump had suggested on Tuesday that the final tariff rate on China's exports would come down “substantially” from the current 145%.

Trump told reporters that Washington is going to be “very nice” to Beijing. “145% is very high and it won't be that high,” Trump said in a question-and-answer session with reporters in the Oval Office.

Earlier in the day, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a private investor conference put on by JPMorgan Chase that he believed the current situation between China and the US would not last. He told the gathered investors to expect a “de-escalation.”

On Wednesday, Trump said that any reduction in tariffs placed on China will depend on the actions of its leaders.

“It depends on China how soon the tariffs can come down,” he said speaking in the Oval Office.

Trump then confirmed that he was in direct contact with China and President Xi “every day” and that he hopes the two sides would reach a deal.

Meanwhile, Trump’s top economic adviser said he is “optimistic” that a trade deal can be cut with China.

“I’m optimistic that we will have a deal with China, and I’m optimistic that we will be able to take the temperature down a bit and provide both economies and the world breathing space,” Stephen Miran, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, said at Semafor’s World Economy Summit.

On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that tariff and trade wars undermine the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, hurt the multilateral trading system and impact the world economic order.

Also, Beijing clarified it has not held trade talks with Washington despite repeated comments from the US government suggesting there had been engagement.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, “China and the United States have not conducted consultations or negotiations on tariffs, let alone reached an agreement,” calling reports of such information “false news.”

Meanwhile, in Washington DC, China's central bank Governor Pan Gongsheng said China will firmly support free trade rules and the multilateral trading system, in remarks made at a G20 meeting on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings.