Jordan handles 427,000 containers through Aqaba Terminal in 2024

JORDAN : Jordan’s Aqaba Container Terminal handled 427,000 imported containers in 2024, a slight decrease from the 445,000 containers recorded in 2023, according to data released by the Jordan Logistics Association. Exported containers through the terminal totaled 109,000 last year, down 13% from 125,000 in 2023.

Despite the overall decline, container import volumes showed growth in the latter months of 2024. In November, 42,562 containers were imported, reflecting a 15.7% increase from the 36,790 recorded in November 2023. December witnessed a 28.6% rise, with 40,883 containers compared to 31,770 in the same month the previous year.

Nabil Al Khateeb, President of the Jordan Logistics Association, described the 4% annual drop in imported containers as a reasonable outcome, considering regional challenges, including instability in the Red Sea and the aftermath of Israeli aggression on Gaza. Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Al Khateeb highlighted an improvement in container traffic during the latter half of the year, signaling potential recovery.

“In the second half of 2024, we observed a marked improvement in the movement of both imported and exported containers through Aqaba Container Terminal, despite the overall decline compared to 2023,” Al Khateeb said. He expressed optimism that this upward trend would continue into 2025.

The decrease in exported containers was attributed to several factors, including weak purchasing power in export markets, increased competition for Jordanian products, and a preference for land transport for exports to Gulf markets. Additionally, Al Khateeb, who also serves as First Vice President of the Amman Chamber of Commerce, noted that shipping costs remained high due to the ongoing Red Sea crisis, with many global shipping lines diverting routes toward the Cape of Good Hope.

The Jordan Logistics Association, established in 2007, plays a critical role in representing the interests of the shipping industry in Jordan. It seeks to create a competitive environment for freight forwarders, protect their interests, and improve operational systems. The association also serves as Jordan’s representative to FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, which was founded in Switzerland in 1926 as a non-governmental organization.