Sea, Air, Transport & Service: imports and exports
to and from Saudi Arabia by air & sea freight
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s major oil-producing countries. Oil has played a central role in its prosperity and remains important to its foreign trade, alongside the continuing diversification of its economy.
Saudi Arabia: transport by sea and air freight
Our Saudi Arabian partner network includes the Red Sea port city of Jeddah. Its seaport is an important gateway for the Kingdom’s imports and exports, while King Abdulaziz International Airport connects the region with the international air network. As a major gateway for pilgrims travelling to nearby Makkah, Jeddah also has substantial passenger connections. Sea, Air, Transport & Service works with partners in Jeddah and Riyadh. These connections complement our network elsewhere on the Arabian Peninsula, including Abu Dhabi, Jebel Ali and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Jeddah’s links to Saudi Arabia’s road network support onward transport to many destinations within the country. We combine transport modes according to the needs of your shipment, aiming for an appropriate balance of service and cost. Our coordination extends beyond carriage to the associated handling and documentation. Local partners contribute their knowledge of operating conditions and the requirements relevant to the goods.
Connections from Jeddah across the Arabian Peninsula
We develop and coordinate logistics arrangements for your Saudi Arabian trade. Whether you need an export or import shipment or an international removal to or from Saudi Arabia for a branch office, an employee or a private household, we can assess the available options. Our team will explain the relevant transport arrangements and can prepare an individual quotation once you provide your shipment details. Contact us through our enquiry form, by email or by telephone.
Saudi Arabia: historical economic figures
in 2014, Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product was reported at US$778 billion, with per-capita income of around US$25,400;- the foreign-trade ratio reached 67.1% in 2014. Oil exports were an important source of the country’s trade surpluses in the period covered by the earlier overview;
- that historical overview attributed more than 90% of exports to oil and petrochemical products. Machinery, vehicles and food were prominent import categories; these shares should not be treated as current statistics;
- Germany was described as a major supplier to Saudi Arabia, behind China and the United States, while having a smaller role as a purchaser of Saudi oil. This describes the earlier trade structure rather than a current ranking;
- German exports to Saudi Arabia amounted to €9.2 billion in 2013, with imports of €1.7 billion;
- the stock of German direct investment was reported at €713 million in 2013.
in 2014, Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product was reported at US$778 billion, with per-capita income of around US$25,400;Selected airports serving Saudi Arabia
| Airport / seaport | IATA code / UN/LOCODE | City |
| King Abdulaziz International Airport | JED | Jeddah |
| King Khalid International Airport | RUH | Riyadh |
01. Need a quotation?
Draw on our experience with transport to and from Saudi Arabia.
Our partner network supports an individual plan for your goods, route and delivery requirements.
02. What do you need?
Saudi Arabia: your freight forwarder for imports & exports
Saudi Arabia is an important trading partner for Germany and the EU on the Arabian Peninsula. Projects associated with Vision 2030 create demand for European products including machinery and industrial equipment, vehicles, electrical equipment, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. In the other direction, oil, petrochemical products and plastics are important cargo categories. As a freight forwarder, we coordinate your imports and exports between Saudi Arabia and Germany/Europe.
Transport options for Saudi Arabia
- Sea freight: An important Red Sea gateway is Jeddah; nearby King Abdullah Port is another option. On the Gulf coast, King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam is a key gateway. The existing route overview gives an indicative 20–30 days from Northern Europe, depending on the destination. Current routings, transshipment, Red Sea/Suez operating conditions and carrier schedules can substantially change transit times; we confirm the actual option for each shipment.
- Air freight: For urgent and high-value goods, Riyadh’s King Khalid and Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz airports provide suitable international gateways. Available flights, handling, customs and final delivery determine the end-to-end transit time.
- Multimodal arrangements: Where required, we combine sea or air freight with collection and delivery by road through to a construction site, factory or another agreed address.
Customs & documents
Saudi Arabia is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council customs union. Duties must be checked against the current commodity classification and Saudi integrated tariff: a rate of 5% must not be assumed for every product. EU goods do not automatically qualify for an EU–GCC free-trade preference. For customs clearance product-specific SABER requirements also need to be checked. Depending on the goods, this may involve product conformity certification or a self-declaration, and a consignment certificate before the customs declaration. We coordinate the transport and customs documentation with the importer and relevant conformity-assessment bodies; issuing regulatory certificates remains the responsibility of the authorised parties.
From project cargo connected with Vision 2030 to recurring industrial shipments, SATS provides coordinated support for the Saudi Arabia route, with clear documentation and transport planning based on your requirements.