The port serves the commercial centres through which 65% of Saudi Arabia's imports by sea are being handled.

[2] The importance of Jeddah Port increased and reached its maximum limit when Saudi Arabia was developing into a modern country.

The port was established in 646 A.D. during the reign of the Caliph Uthman ibn Affan,[3] and today has 62 berths in service.

[4] The port is part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast to Singapore, towards the southern tip of India to Mombasa, from there through the Red Sea via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region to the northern Italian hub of Trieste with its connections to Central Europe and the North Sea.

[5][6][7][8][9] In order to improve the operating efficiency of the seaport, three new ships-to-shore cranes have been added.