Saudi Arabia Taps Global Shipping and Air Cargo Partnerships Make Exports More Competitive

The Saudi Export Development Authority (Saudi Exports) has stepped up a efforts to sharpen the international competitiveness of Saudi-made goods, with string of strategic partnerships with major logistics and transport players including MSC Saudi, Saudia Cargo and the Saudi Ports Authority.

The agreements, made around the “Made in Saudi 2025” exhibition in Riyadh, aim to reduce export frictions, expand market access and knit exporters into more efficient global supply chains.

At the heart of the push is a practical agenda: streamline documentation and port processes, improve air- and sea-freight connectivity, and run joint marketing and trade-promotion programmes that lift the profile of the “Made in Saudi” brand overseas.

Saudia Cargo’s MoU with Saudi Exports specifically commits both parties to coordinate participation in international exhibitions, launch joint promotional campaigns for national products, and ease the logistics of getting goods to market - steps designed to shorten the time and cost it takes for Saudi exporters to reach buyers abroad.

On the maritime side, Mawani signed three co-operation agreements with global shipping lines - MSC, Maersk and CMA CGM - in partnership with Saudi Exports.

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The port authority says the agreements will link Saudi exporters to international ports through major shipping networks, build an integrated logistics ecosystem and improve supply-chain reliability for exporters using key Saudi hubs such as Jeddah Islamic Port, Jubail and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam.

MSC Saudi’s announcement described a complementary pact with Mawani and Saudi Exports focused on operational efficiency and simplified export procedures - including port-side coordination, customs facilitation and digital services that can reduce paperwork and transit times.

MSC’s local website also provides digital tools such as electronic bill of lading and customs support that the carrier says will make export logistics faster and more predictable for Saudi shippers.

Taken together, the deals aim to hit three practical bottlenecks that exporters often cite: access to reliable global transport capacity, predictable and lower logistics costs, and the know-how to market and distribute products abroad.

Saudi Exports is using the Made in Saudi programme as the marketing and quality umbrella for these supply-chain measures - positioning the partnerships as both hard infrastructure improvements and softer commercial support (trade shows, marketing and exporter training).

Analysts and officials say the timing is deliberate: strengthening logistics linkages now will help the Kingdom meet its Vision 2030 target to diversify away from oil by growing non-oil exports and building a larger manufacturing and industrial base.

By combining port agreements, carrier commitments and air-cargo cooperation, Saudi Exports hopes exporters - particularly small and medium firms - will face fewer barriers to entry in foreign markets and enjoy faster, more reliable delivery options.

Practical next steps listed in the public statements include pilot corridors for priority shipments, coordinated schedules for exhibitions and buyer missions, joint digital initiatives to harmonise documentation, and capacity-building programmes for exporters on packaging, compliance and air/sea freight selection.

When implemented, these measures will reduce lead times and help Saudi producers compete on both price and reliability - two key attributes buyers use when deciding whether to source from new suppliers.

For exporters, the new agreements offer tangible near-term benefits - better access to shipping space, dedicated air-cargo solutions and a stronger national marketing push - while signaling a sustained government push to make Saudi supply chains more export-friendly.

The coming months will show whether pilot programmes translate into measurable gains in shipment speed and export volumes, but the flurry of partnerships around Made in Saudi 2025 marks a clear shift: logistics and promotion are being treated as twin levers to turn Saudi manufacturing into a globally competitive export sector.

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