The port lies on Saudi Arabia's
Red Sea coast. It is the principal port serving the holy cities of
Mecca and
Medina. The port serves the commercial centres through which 65% of Saudi Arabia's imports by sea are being handled. The importance of Jeddah Port increased and reached its maximum limit when
Saudi Arabia was developing into a modern country. The port was established in 646 A.D. during the reign of the Caliph
Uthman ibn Affan, and today has 62 berths in service. The port is part of the
21st Century Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast to
Singapore, towards the southern tip of
India to
Mombasa, from there through the Red Sea via the
Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region to the northern Italian hub of
Trieste with its connections to
Central Europe and the
North Sea. In order to improve the operating efficiency of the seaport, three new ships-to-shore cranes have been added. ==See also==