AQABA, Sept. 22 (Petra) – Aqaba’s port and logistics network is implementing a sweeping operational overhaul aimed at eliminating freight bottlenecks, compressing cargo dwell times, and modernizing truck-turnaround logistics across the Kingdom's primary trade gateway.

The measures, formulated by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) and endorsed by the Council of Ministers, target structural inefficiencies across the supply chain to safeguard national trade continuity and reinforce food security.

Mohammad Abu Omar, Chief Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Investment at ASEZA, emphasized that the intervention framework addresses the entire logistical pipeline rather than isolated operational hitches.

Under the cabinet-approved directives, the port grace period for national exports has been doubled from 7 to 14 days for a six-month duration, providing shippers vital flexibility to mitigate storage and delay penalties. Simultaneously, administrative destruction fees for uncollected or damaged goods were slashed from 500 dinars to 50 dinars per ton for a three-month window. This steep reduction is designed to compel stakeholders to clear abandoned cargo, free up valuable yard space, and optimize storage utilization.

To accelerate customs processing, authorities have decentralized inspections by introducing arrival-point clearances where feasible, shifting portions of refrigerated container inspections to Customs Yard No. 4, and routing select consignments to the Amman-Madhouna customs center. Inspection protocols have also been recalibrated around risk-management frameworks to maintain regulatory compliance without impeding trade velocity, backed by weekend and holiday operational continuity.

In the land transport sector, ASEZA collaborated with industry stakeholders to overhaul truck deployment rules. Monthly trip caps for container haulers were raised from 8 to 9, while the mandatory waiting period between containerized loads was compressed from 48 to 30 hours. Additionally, entry-exit permit validity windows were tightened from 8 to 6 hours to maximize vehicle availability.

Cross-border transit trucks received a temporary three-month exemption from standard trip limits, and certified heavy vehicles meeting rigorous safety standards are now authorized to transport two 20-foot containers simultaneously, significantly boosting fleet productivity and accelerating port evacuation rates.

Spatial constraints are being directly addressed through the allocation of 150 dunums of new storage space dedicated to empty containers –including 70 dunums at Yard No. 10 and 20 dunums assigned to CTL. Furthermore, the multi-purpose port is expanding vehicle storage yards to accommodate an additional 6,000 cars, alongside upgrades to Yard No. 4's hazardous materials warehousing.

These integrated measures have yielded tangible operational improvements. Average dwell times for transit containers have dropped from 14–15 days down to roughly 12 days, while local import container dwell times remain stabilized at approximately 8 days. Daily gate-exit capacity has climbed from 900 to 1,200 containers.

To enforce terminal discipline, authorities are actively invoking Article 27 of the ASEZA customs regulations to clear abandoned freight. Between 1,500 and 2,000 uncleared containers exceeding statutory limits –21 days for local imports and 5 days for transit –are being transferred to ASEZA's 280-dunum logistics yard at the carriers' expense, reclaiming vital operational acreage within the terminal.

Reefer handling capabilities have similarly been upgraded with the installation of 120 new electrical connection points and targeted measures to resolve refrigerated truck shortages. Throughout the operational chain, strict priority in handling, clearance, and dispatch continues to be enforced for essential foodstuffs, domestic market imports, and national exports.

//Petra// AA