The Saudi Maritime & Logistics Congress 2026 opened its doors on Wednesday at Jeddah Superdome, held under the patronage of Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, with government bodies, port authorities, shipping leaders, logistics operators and investors taking part over the two days of 21 and 22 October.
This year's edition brings together more than 200 exhibiting entities and upwards of 120 speakers, as regional carriers continue to absorb disruptions to trade routes and mounting pressure on supply chains. The gathering is framed around the Kingdom's push, under Saudi Vision 2030, to convert its port, logistics-zone and transport-link investments into dependable services, tighter connectivity and sustained trade growth between Asia, Africa and Europe.
Muhannad Al-Mahjoub, Vice President at Tahaluf, said the recent upheavals have shown how essential resilient maritime and logistics networks are to economies worldwide, adding that the current edition carries exceptional weight given the pressures on the sector. «The challenges facing our industry confirm the need to strengthen regional capabilities and build more robust and flexible supply chains,» he said, pointing to the Kingdom's continued infrastructure spending as a factor in shaping the sector's future.
The programme opens with sessions on what shipping lines require from ports and how operators can sharpen their competitiveness in attracting cargo. Trade realignment, sanctions and regulatory pressure form the core of one discussion featuring Folk Maritime CEO Poul Hestbak alongside Eng. Essam bin Mohammed Al-Amari, Undersea Transport Agent at the General Authority of Transport, while maritime engineering professor Waheed Abu Shanab of King Abdulaziz University addresses protection of maritime operations from cyber and physical threats.
Ports as engines of industrial growth anchor another track, with Salla's Director of Maritime Operations Uriel Blake joined by Omar Basalim, Head of Operations and Engineering at Saudi Global Ports container terminals, and Emad Al-Zahrani, Senior Director of Ship Agencies at Bahri. Aramco's Yasser Tuwairqi, Manager of Marine Projects and Engineering, takes on the commercial choices tied to the energy transition in shipping and how emissions can fall without eroding operator competitiveness. Attendees also have access to exhibitors in marine equipment, port technology and logistics services for partnership and investment talks.