King Abdulaziz Port created history by welcoming CMA CGM SYMI, making the Dammam-based hub the first on KSA’s East Coast to receive a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-powered container vessel.
Boasting a capacity of 15,400 TEUs and spanning a length of 366 metres, a width of 51 metres, and a draught of 16 metres, CMA CGM SYMI has been running on clean energy since entering service in 2022, reflecting the maritime industry’s growing intent to go carbon-neutral across its operations.
The vessel’s arrival is testament to the world-class abilities of King Abdulaziz Port and its terminal operator, Saudi Global Ports (SGP), that make it a highly sought-after destination for trade and logistics by container giants such as CMA CGM. With a strategic location at the crossroads of three major continents, the Saudi ports sector is well-equipped to strengthen global supply chains and lead a sustainable future across the shipping landscape in line with the ambitions of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS) as well as the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative, which pledges to reduce 278 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year by 2030.
LNG powered vessels are no strangers to Saudi shores, with the mega containership CMA CGM Jacques Saade docking at Jeddah Islamic Port in the year 2021. The largest boxship to run on LNG in the world, the groundbreaking vessel features a capacity of 23,000 TEUs, a length of 400 metres, and a width of 61 metres.
