Saudi Arabia Welcomes New Container Shipping Line

The Saudi Arabian coastline at sundown
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Updated Published

Saudi Arabia has seen the inception of a new feeder and short-sea shipping venture aimed at establishing connections between the kingdom and prominent ports along the Red Sea.

Based in Riyadh, Folk Maritime is led by Poul Hestbaek, the former chief at Hamburg Süd, who transitioned from the Maersk-owned entity in August of the previous year.

Positioning itself as the pioneering dedicated feeder operator within Saudi Arabia, Folk Maritime is set to provide services across the Middle East and its neighboring areas.

The leadership team alongside Hestbaek includes Saleem Kadernani, previously with ARK Logistics & Maritime, serving as the chief commercial officer, Khalid Fawzi as the finance head, and Abdulrahman Alshangiti overseeing human resources.

Folk Maritime operates two Red Sea routes utilizing a duo of 2,500 TEU feeders. These vessels facilitate weekly connections between Jeddah and Neom, Yanbu within Saudi Arabia, and Ain Sokhna in Egypt. Additionally, a smaller vessel with a capacity of 700 TEU offers bi-weekly services to Sudan.