A Saudi-Israeli Attempt to Circumvent the Yemeni Ban on Israeli Ships
In a move described by observers as part of the “Saudi-Israeli normalization” process, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a key gateway for circumventing the Yemeni maritime blockade on the Maersk Group, which supports the Zionist entity. This move aims to facilitate the company’s operations in the region and connect it to regional markets and its global maritime network.
The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) announced on Wednesday that the global Maersk Group, through its subsidiary APM Terminals, has acquired a 37.5% stake in the South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that this step will integrate the port into Maersk’s operational system and direct services, enhancing maritime connectivity with regional and international ports and improving the efficiency of trade through the Kingdom in terms of speed and flexibility in accessing markets.
SPA added that the partnership is expected to provide Maersk with a strategic foothold at Jeddah Islamic Port. This will support an increase in the number of transshipment vessels and containers, attracting more of the company’s shipping lines and partners, thus strengthening the port’s role as a major trade hub on the Red Sea coast.
The South Container Terminal includes five state-of-the-art berths with a capacity of up to 4.1 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). Jeddah Islamic Port is the largest on the Red Sea coast, boasting 62 multi-purpose berths and leveraging its strategic location to bolster the Kingdom’s leadership in the maritime sector both regionally and internationally.
While the Kingdom maintains that the deal is purely commercial, this partnership is presented as a strategic move that strengthens Maersk’s presence at Jeddah Islamic Port, contributing to an increase in the number of vessels and containers and attracting more of its shipping lines and partners, thereby enhancing Jeddah Islamic Port’s position as a major trade hub on the Red Sea coast.
Observers believe that the Saudi move aims to lift the Yemeni maritime blockade on Mersin and enhance maritime connectivity with regional and international ports. This would grant Mersin’s trade through the Kingdom to the port of Umm al-Rashrash (Eilat) and other ports in occupied Palestine greater flexibility and speed in reaching various markets.
Experts emphasize that the political dimensions of this partnership cannot be separated from the context of rapidly evolving regional transformations. The company’s connection to Saudi investments, which supports the Israeli entity, places it within a broader framework of undeclared economic rapprochement between Riyadh and Tel Aviv, at a time when the Zionist aggression against Gaza continues, accompanied by international accusations of grave violations against Palestinian civilians.