Saudi Arabia’s industrial output rises in Jan., driven by manufacturing 

JEDDAH: Sharjah’s economy is projected to grow by up to 7.5 percent in 2025, strengthening its position as a hub for diverse sectors, according to a senior UAE official.

Executive Chairman of the Department of Government Relations Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan bin Khalid Al-Qasimi highlighted that the expected expansion will be driven by progressive policies, increased economic integration, and rising foreign investment in strategic industries.

Al-Qasimi underlined the importance of ongoing dialogue with the private sector to strengthen core industries such as manufacturing, trade, agriculture, and environmental sustainability.

“We will be hosting a number of quite frank discussions with the private sector about what the government should be doing better to protect the core industries – manufacturing, trading, agriculture and the environment — that we have,” Al-Qasimi said during the Sharjah Ramadan Majlis 2025.

The event, which was held under the theme “Sharjah: Shaping the Future, Empowering Growth,” was attended by senior officials, including Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al-Qasimi, president of the American University of Sharjah; and Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, minister of state for foreign trade.

During the gathering, Al-Qasimi said that Sharjah’s economy is evolving at an impressive pace, with the gross domestic product now over 145 billion dirhams ($39.47 billion), and growth of 6.5 percent registered in 2023 — surpassing the global average by 3.5 percentage points. 

“We are immensely proud of the businesses that have found their home in Sharjah, especially those in the private sector, that have been the backbone of our economy for over a decade, and there is a reason why global giants such as Halliburton and Amazon have shown their confidence by investing in our emirate,” he said. 

Al-Qasimi forecasted that continued integration, smarter policymaking, and collaboration with the private sector would contribute to growth ranging between 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent in the coming years.

He added that the automotive industry and vehicle parts trading accounted for 24 percent of the emirate’s economy, with agriculture at 19 percent, at manufacturing on 17 percent — the same level the broader food ecosystem.

Al-Qasimi also pointed to the potential growth in the real estate sector in 2025, citing major developers like Alef Group and Arada, which are making significant investments in the emirate.

To foster this growth, Al-Qasimi stressed the importance of identifying supply chain interdependencies and collaborating closely with the private sector. “We need to identify the adjacencies and interdependencies in supply chains to understand from the private sector what we need to do to move forward,” he said.

Foreign Trade Minister Al-Zeyoudi pointed to Sharjah’s attractiveness to businesses, bolstered by initiatives like “Invest in Sharjah,” the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, or Shurooq, and Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park.

“Companies are moving here, and we aim to showcase the incentives, markets, and benefits available through the UAE’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements,” he said during the same event.

Juma Al-Kait, assistant undersecretary for foreign trade at the Ministry of Economy, emphasized the significance of foreign trade, a cornerstone of the UAE’s economic strategy.

He noted that the UAE’s foreign trade grew by 14.6 percent in 2024, hitting 3 trillion dirhams, outpacing the global rate, which recorded 2 percent. “If we look at Sharjah’s foreign trade, it grew 8.1 percent in 2024 compared to last year. There is a huge potential for the private sector to benefit or to utilize important agreements.” Al-Kait said. 

Sharjah is a key destination for manufacturing, services, and finance, with nearly 96 percent of its economy non-oil-based. Home to six specialized free zones, the emirate offers flexible investment opportunities and advanced infrastructure.

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s seaports reported an 18.25 percent increase in exported containers for February compared to the same period last year, signaling a growing demand for the Kingdom’s products.

According to the Saudi Ports Authority, also known as Mawani, a total of 215,491 twenty-foot equivalent units were exported in February 2025, up from 182,229 TEUs in February 2024.

In contrast, the number of imported containers saw a decline of 4.95 percent, totaling 215,741 TEUs, down from 226,968 TEUs in the previous year.

The overall number of containers processed in Saudi seaports amounted to 552,490 TEUs, showing a slight decrease of 1.8 percent from 562,644 TEUs in 2024. Transshipment containers also dropped by 21.03 percent, totaling 112,193 TEUs, compared to 142,071 TEUs in February 2024.

These trends align with Mawani’s objective to foster a sustainable and robust maritime sector that drives both trade and economic growth in the Kingdom.

The developments further support the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, which aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub, linking three continents, in line with the nation’s Vision 2030.

The surge in non-oil exports is a clear indication of Saudi Arabia’s successful economic diversification efforts, as the Kingdom seeks to reduce its reliance on oil revenues.

Mawani also reported that the total tonnage handled by Saudi seaports in February was 22,540,434 tonnes, reflecting a 3.66 percent decline from 23,397,237 tonnes during the same period last year.

The breakdown includes 983,027 tonnes of general cargo, 4,027,930 tonnes of bulk solid cargo, and 11,677,568 tonnes of bulk liquid cargo. The ports also received 698,035 heads of livestock, which marks a 22.38 percent decrease compared to 899,293 heads in February 2024.

On a positive note, maritime traffic saw a modest increase of 0.33 percent, with 913 vessels arriving at the ports, compared to 910 vessels in the same period last year.

Passenger traffic surged by 37.85 percent, reaching 93,400 passengers, up from 67,754 the previous year. The number of vehicles handled also rose by 3.43 percent, reaching 78,482 vehicles compared to 75,877 vehicles in February 2024.

In a broader view, Mawani reported a 14.44 percent increase in the total number of containers handled from January to February 2025, reaching 1,270,776 TEUs, compared to 1,110,440 TEUs in the same period last year.

A major step in enhancing Saudi Arabia’s global trade position is the launch of the state-of-the-art South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port. This initiative, part of DP World’s SR3 billion ($800 million) expansion program, is aimed at upgrading the terminal and reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s status as a key player in international trade.

In addition to this, several key projects have been unveiled, including agreements to establish eight new logistics parks and hubs at Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. These developments, backed by an estimated SR2.9 billion in private sector investment, are poised to further strengthen the Kingdom's logistics infrastructure.