How AI could ease congestion at Saudi ports

RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is finding its way into port operations, offering new ways to manage vessel traffic, allocate resources and prevent congestion as shipping volumes rise.

When several ships arrive simultaneously, pressure builds across the port. Vessels wait offshore for available berths, cranes face competing demands, containers accumulate in storage yards and trucks queue at terminal gates. Delays in one area can quickly disrupt the entire operation, affecting the wider supply chain.

According to UN Trade and Development, disruptions are straining ports worldwide, resulting in congestion and longer waiting times. Saudi Arabia faces similar pressures as cargo volumes grow. Ports managed by the Saudi Ports Authority, known as Mawani, handled 8.3 million twenty-foot equivalent units in 2025, up 10.58 percent from 2024.