UAE's DP World Welcomes Morten Maersk on Maiden Jeddah Call

DP World has welcomed Morten Maersk, one of the world’s largest container vessels, on its maiden call to South Container Terminal, strengthening shipping connectivity between Saudi Arabia and global markets.

The vessel is deployed on Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd’s east-west AE15 Gemini Cooperation container service that connects key Asian markets with the Mediterranean and Europe.

Jeddah was added to the service’s rotation earlier this year, giving Saudi importers and exporters a direct connection to major trade hubs including Qingdao, Ningbo, Tanjung Pelepas in Asia and Port Said and Damietta in the Mediterranean.

World’s busiest trade routes

At approximately 399 metres and with capacity for more than 19,000 TEUs, Morten Maersk is designed to operate on some of the world’s busiest trade routes.

Mohammad Alshaikh, CEO of DP World Saudi Arabia, said: “Jeddah gives our customers direct access to the world’s most important trade routes, supported by the infrastructure and capability to handle the largest container vessels serving global trade. Our focus at South Container Terminal is on delivering reliable, efficient operations and providing customers with the connectivity they need. As services such as AE15 expand connectivity through Jeddah, customers benefit from greater choice and more direct access to the markets that matter to their business.”

The AE15 service now operates through the Suez Canal, following a structural change announced by Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd in July 2026. The change was intended to provide more efficient transit times for customers moving cargo between Asia and Europe, with Jeddah subsequently added to the rotation.

The AE15’s continued calls at Jeddah come as DP World invests in the development of South Container Terminal, with a focus on increasing operational efficiency and improving the terminal’s long-term capacity to handle growing cargo volumes. The investment programme includes modern equipment, greater automation and progressive decarbonisation of terminal operations.