Saudi maritime and logistics congress closes with more than 34,000 attendees

The Saudi Maritime and Logistics Congress 2026 ended in Jeddah on 25 October after a two-day programme. According to figures reported by the Saudi Press Agency, the event recorded more than 34,000 registrations and visitors. That total was reported as 33% higher than for the 2025 edition.

The congress included 90 exhibitors and 41 local and international leaders, experts and specialists. Its programme featured 10 panel discussions on changes, challenges and opportunities in maritime transport and logistics services. SPA reported these figures in its closing account and did not provide a separate attendance methodology.

Panel discussions addressed the preparedness and resilience of transport and logistics systems in response to regional and international developments. They also considered the role of the sector in maintaining trade flows and supply chains. The agency described these as broad themes of the congress programme.

Participants discussed developing operational capabilities, integrating different modes of transport and strengthening cooperation between public entities and the private sector. These areas were linked to the stated aim of improving the efficiency and reliability of logistics services. The report did not say that a specific policy change or completed project was agreed at the congress.

An accompanying exhibition presented maritime equipment, technologies and logistics solutions. SPA said the exhibition gave local and international companies opportunities to exchange expertise and explore cooperation, investment and professional partnerships. The report did not detail signed agreements or investment values.

The congress highlighted the connection between transport and logistics services and continuity in commercial activity. Its attendance and exhibitor figures offer a measure of the event’s scale, but they are not independent statistics on the sector’s total capacity or economic impact. The reported results are limited to the event’s attendance, programme and discussion topics.

The two-day congress combined panel discussions with an exhibition of technology and solutions. SPA said the exhibition presented maritime equipment, technologies and logistics solutions. The programme was intended to give local and international public entities and private-sector companies opportunities to exchange expertise and explore cooperation and investment. That provided a setting for discussion across maritime transport and logistics services as parts of a more integrated transport system. The closing report, however, does not list the participating companies, specific products, new project commitments or values of agreements.

The more-than-34,000 figure in the closing report combines registrations and visitors. SPA did not break out those groups or report a count of unique people at the event. The 33% year-on-year change should therefore be read as the increase in the combined total reported for the congress compared with its 2025 edition.