Jordan Ranks Third in Arab World on Logistics Performance Index
Amman, The Gulf Observer: Jordan ranked third among Arab countries in the 2024 Logistics Performance Index (LPI), underscoring the Kingdom’s growing strategic importance as a regional transport hub and supporting its efforts to establish itself as a major logistics center.
According to a policy paper issued by the Jordan Strategy Forum (JSF), the operational efficiency of Jordan’s ports represents a key pillar of the country’s logistical competitiveness, particularly amid continuing regional instability and disruptions to global supply chains.
The report noted that vessels at Jordanian ports recorded an average turnaround time of just 0.6 days, placing the Kingdom 21st globally and third among Arab countries. Meanwhile, the average dwell time for export containers stood at 4.7 days, outperforming the global median.
The JSF said Jordan’s geographic position and port efficiency have strengthened its potential to serve as a “safe logistics corridor” for transit trade and cargo transportation, providing an alternative route amid disruptions affecting regional supply chains.
The forum emphasized that modern economic corridors extend beyond traditional road and railway networks to encompass maritime transport, energy systems, digital infrastructure, logistics services and cross-border industrial cooperation.
Such developments, it said, have encouraged countries to diversify transportation routes and reduce their dependence on a limited number of maritime corridors and strategic chokepoints.
Local experts have identified the Port of Aqaba as the cornerstone of Jordan’s logistics strategy. First Vice Chairman of the Amman Chamber of Commerce and President of the Logistics Sector Skills Council Nabil Khatib said the port’s rapid cargo-handling capabilities help reduce shipping costs and enhance its attractiveness to international shipping lines.
Speaking to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Khatib said capitalizing on Aqaba’s operational advantages would support Jordan’s ambitions to become a regional logistics hub.
He stressed, however, that realizing the Kingdom’s full logistical potential would require improving the efficiency of interconnected supply chains beyond port operations to ensure seamless movement of goods at all stages.
Economic expert Muneer Deyah said the Port of Aqaba had achieved “record-breaking operational metrics” despite prevailing geopolitical challenges.
He noted that the port had accelerated loading, unloading and transshipment operations, handling approximately 101,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July. This brought the total volume handled since the beginning of the year to nearly 560,000 TEUs, marking a record level for the port.
Deyah attributed the strong performance to efficient logistics management, noting that the 0.6-day average vessel turnaround time placed Jordan 21st globally and third in the Arab world.
He said the performance demonstrated Aqaba’s ability to adapt to disruptions affecting global maritime shipping while maintaining competitiveness with major regional and international ports in terms of operational efficiency.
Deyah also pointed to the average export-container dwell time of 4.7 days, which remains below the global average, as another indicator of the port’s efficiency.
He said Aqaba had emerged as an important regional gateway and strategic alternative for countries relying on the port for imports and exports, further strengthening Jordan’s position as a regional logistics hub.
In July alone, the Aqaba Container Terminal handled 101,900 TEUs, compared with 88,781 TEUs in July of the previous year. The year-to-date volume through July reached approximately 560,000 TEUs.
Despite severe congestion and shipping delays at neighboring ports caused by regional turmoil, Aqaba maintained high operational productivity, enabling it to absorb increased cargo and truck volumes and reinforcing its role as a reliable regional logistics gateway.
