Jeddah Seaport

King Saud International Seaport (also called Jeddah Islamic Seaport) has an excellent location in the middle of the international shipping route^[which?] between east and west.

Overview

The port lies on the Red Sea coast at latitude 21° 28' north and longitude 39° 10' east. It is the Saudi's principal port serving the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The port serves the commercial centers through which 59% of the Saudi's imports by sea are being handled^{[citation needed]}. The importance of Jeddah Port increased and reached its maximum limit when Saudi Arabia was developing into a modern country.

The Port established in September 1976^{[citation needed]}, whereupon it started developing its facilities. The port has expanded from a modest 10 operational berths in 1976^{[citation needed]} to the 58 berths of international standard in service today^[when?].

Jeddah Islamic Port is a congestion free harbor^{[according to whom?]}. It occupies an area of 10.5 square kilometers and its deep water quays provide an overall berthing length of 11.2 kilometers with a maximum draft of 16 metres^{[citation needed]}.

The port can accommodate the latest^[when?] generation of large container vessels with a capacity of 6500 TEUs^{[clarification needed]}^{[citation needed]}.

Timeline

647 A.D.

The third Muslim caliph Uthman Ibn Affan establishes the fishing village of Jeddah as the seaport for nearby Mekkah^{[citation needed]}.

2008

Jeddah Seaport is the western terminus of the Saudi Landbridge Project, the eastern terminus being Damman^[Along the coastline of the Red Sea runs a parallel stretch of coral reefs. Jeddah is one of the few places where a gap in the reefs allows large vessels to approach the coastline directly. Nevertheless the reefs have proven fatal to many ships through the ages.
Two Italian Destroyers are reported^{[according to whom?]} to have run aground near Jedda in 1941^{[citation needed]}.
From the sixties it is reported^{[according to whom?]} that two ships had run aground to the north and to the south of the entrance to the port: thus marking the safe shipping lane between them.
As of 2007 at least three large ships have been reported^{[according to whom?]} lying south of Jeddah. At 20°52′02.87″N 39°21′39.77″E lies the "Saudi Golden Arrow", ex-Norwegian Ferry "M/S Europafergen"^[2] reported^{[according to whom?]} laid up at Shoieba.^[3]
Also since about 2000^{[clarification needed]} the "Al Basmalah I"^[3] built as "Glen Sannox" in 1957 and the "Al-Fahad", ex "Free Enterprise III", that anchored after engine problems in 2004 and has since reported^{[according to whom?]} to have become semisubmerged.^[3]
Some 14.6 kilometers southwest of the old city center at 21°22′35.67″N 39°07′13.51″E, approximately 1.74 kilometers from the coast, a half submerged wreck can be viewed on Google Earth.
^1]