Methodology and Quality Update

Latest Update on Methodology and Quality

25/08/2026

Statistical Presentation

Data description

The Maritime Transport Statistics publication presents statistics and indicators on maritime transport traffic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The publication is a statistical product that derives its data from administrative records on the following key characteristics:

• Ship traffic.
• Passenger traffic.
• Cargo volume and handling.
• Volume of outbound and inbound cargo.
• Container traffic.
• Port infrastructure (e.g., berths, terminals, and areas).
• Port efficiency and effectiveness measures.
• Maritime safety (e.g., ship accidents and search-and-rescue operations)
  These data are also used to estimate performance indicators and analyze the state of maritime transport to support decision-making and the development of relevant policies.

Classifications

The following classifications are applied in the Maritime Transport Statistics.
Saudi Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC):
It is a statistical classification based on the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC4), used to describe the productive activities of an establishment.
National Code of Countries and Nationalities (NCCN):
A statistical classification based on the international standard (ISO 3166_Country codes), issued by the International Organization for Standardization (affiliated with the United Nations). This classification assigns numeric and alphabetic codes to the world’s 248 countries based on the classification of countries.
Detailed data are collected from administrative record data sources to ensure that outputs are produced according to all relevant classifications.
The classifications are available on GASTAT’s website:  www.stats.gov.sa 

Statistical concepts and definitions

Terminology and Concepts for the Maritime Transport Statistics Publication:

• Port:
  A coastal facility consisting of one or more harbors, established on the coasts or shores of seas, oceans, rivers, or lakes, where ships are unloaded and loaded with cargo or passengers. Ports contain cranes, berths, and storage facilities for ships.
• Ship traffic:
  The number of commercial ships arriving at and departing from seaports during a specified period, with each arrival and each departure counted separately as part of ship traffic.
• Terminal: 
  It is operated by a carrier or terminal operator at the port and contains cargo-handling equipment, sheds, and other land-based structures used for loading, storing, transferring, and unloading cargo, or for the arrival and boarding of passengers traveling through ports.

•  Handled cargo:

  It is the process of moving cargo to and from berths, warehouses, storage facilities, and yards, or stacking cargo within the port boundaries and subsequently shipping it from its location in accordance with the instructions issued by the establishment.

• Solid bulk cargo: 
  Any material, other than a liquid or gas, consisting of a combination of particles, granules, or larger pieces that are generally uniform in composition and are loaded directly into the ship’s cargo holds.
• Liquid bulk cargo: 
  Any material that can flow freely and is typically loaded onto and unloaded from a ship using pipelines and pumping stations.
• General cargo:
  All cargo except vehicles and mobile equipment, livestock, bulk cargo, and cargo loaded in containers or on flatbeds or trailers.
• Containers:
  Large standardized shipping units used to transport and store products and raw materials during the maritime transport of cargo on specialized ships.
• Unloaded cargo: 
  Cargo unloaded from a commercial ship.
• Loaded cargo:
  Cargo loaded onto a commercial ship for maritime transport.
• Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off): 
  Wheeled cargo, such as trucks, trains, and various types of vehicles, that is loaded and unloaded by being rolled or driven directly onto and off specialized ships.
• Livestock:
  The weight of non-living livestock that has been unloaded or loaded as chilled or frozen meat of various types.
• Transshipment:
  The process of temporarily handling containers and cargo from ships at a port for subsequent transport to their final destination by other ships.
• Port quay:
  A structure or area constructed within a port where ships berth to unload or load cargo or passengers.
• Passenger:
  Any person presents in a means of transport, boarding or disembarking from it, other than the driver.
• Ship berthing turnover rate: 
  The average time taken for ship berthing, from the ship’s arrival at the port and the pilot boarding the ship until it is berthed at the quay and its mooring lines are secured.
• Ship turnover rate:
  The average time a ship remains at the quay, from the time its mooring lines are secured until they are released.
• Ship sailing turnover rate: 
  The average time taken for ship sailing, from the release of the ship’s mooring lines from the quay for departure until the ship exits the port and the pilot disembarks.
• Crane productivity rate:
  The average number of containers handled by a single crane per hour, calculated based on the total number of containers and the number of operating hours for each crane.
• Ship productivity rate: 
  The average number of containers handled on a single ship per hour, calculated based on the total number of containers and the number of operating hours for each ship.
• Truck turnover rate: 
  The average time trucks spend within the port to deliver or collect containers.
• Inbound container turnover rate: 
  The average time inbound containers remain within the port, from the time they are unloaded from the ship until they exit through the port gates.
• Outbound container turnover rate: 
  The average time outbound containers remain within the port, from the time they enter through the port gates until they are loaded onto the ship.
• Percentage of transshipment containers to total containers handled: 
  The percentage of handled transshipment containers out of the total volume of containers handled.
• Marine ship accidents and search-and-rescue operations:
  Any accident that occurs during the normal operation of a ship, including any accident that occurs while the ship is in port, at anchor, or underway.
• Fatality:
  Refers to the death of a person at the time of the accident or within 30 days as a result of the accident.
• Ton:
  A unit of measurement equivalent to 1,000 kilograms, primarily used as a unit of mass and as a unit of volume.
• Twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU):
  A standard statistical unit based on a container that meets the specifications of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), measuring 20 feet (6.10 meters) in length, and used to standardize the measurement of containers of different sizes and capacities. A 20-foot standard container is equivalent to one unit (1 TEU), while a 40-foot standard container is equivalent to two units (2 TEUs).
• Port equipment:
  Cranes, equipment, and operational machinery used within seaports to handle cargo and containers, including loading, unloading, transporting, and stacking, as well as supporting equipment used for ship services and logistics operations within the port.

Data sources

Maritime Transport Statistics are based on administrative records from specific entities, including

• Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani)
• Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority NEOM
• Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu

This is intended to provide comprehensive and integrated information on the maritime transport sector and ensure data completeness and accuracy.
The key variables published from the administrative records data source for Maritime Transport Statistics are:

• Number of passengers.
• Ship traffic activity.
• Cargo volume.
• Infrastructure indicators.
• Maritime safety indicators.

Data collection tool design

Administrative record data were collected using standardized data request tables submitted to the data-owning entity to obtain periodic, consistent, and documented data derived from administrative records relevant to Maritime Transport Statistics indicators, thereby ensuring improved data quality and integration across different data sources.

Questionnaire test (cognitive test)

Not applicable, as Maritime Transport Statistics are a statistical product based on administrative record data available from relevant entities.

Statistical population

The statistical population of Maritime Transport Statistics consists of commercial and industrial ports (excluding oil ports), including all maritime transport units and activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This population is based on the register-based framework derived from data provided by relevant entities on port activities, ship traffic, and cargo within the Kingdom.

Sample design

Not applicable, as the product is register-based and relies on administrative data available from relevant entities.

Statistical unit

The statistical unit in Maritime Transport Statistics varies depending on the indicator and may be a ship, passenger, container, or shipment whose movement is tracked. Data on these units are obtained from entities operating maritime transport and port services for passenger or cargo transport, which serve as the primary source of records related to traffic, volumes, and performance.

Data collection

Administrative record data are collected in coordination with the relevant departments at GASTAT. Administrative record data for the Maritime Transport Statistics Publication are obtained from the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority, NEOM, and Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu. These data include passenger numbers, cargo volumes, ship traffic, as well as statistical data on the maritime transport sector. These data are stored in GASTAT’s databases after being validated and reviewed in accordance with approved statistical methods and recognized quality standards. The data source is consulted if any errors are identified or observations are raised regarding the data.

Data collection frequency 

The data collection process for Maritime Transport Statistics is carried out on an annual basis.

Reference area

The Maritime Transport Statistics Publication covers commercial and industrial ports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, excluding oil ports.

Reference period (time reference)

• All data and variables derived from administrative records related to Maritime Transport Statistics refer to the 2025 calendar year, from the first to the last day of the year (i.e., from January 1 to December 31, 2025).

Base period

Not applicable, as Maritime Transport Statistics are based on monitoring and measuring actual and absolute values of maritime transport (such as passenger numbers, cargo volumes, and ship traffic) during the reference year only and do not rely on continuous comparison with a previous reference year (base year).

Measurement unit

• Most results are measured by numbers (such as: number of passengers, ship traffic, port quays, and terminals).
• Some indicators are measured in tons or twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) (such as: handled cargo, cargo volumes, and capacity).
• Some results are calculated as percentages (such as: relative distribution of the volume of unloaded and loaded cargo, and annual growth rates).
• Some operational measures and indicators are measured in hours, TEUs per hour, or per day (such as: turnover rates for ship berthing and sailing, trucks, and containers, and crane and ship productivity rates).
• Some results are measured in square kilometers (km²) (such as: port area).

Time coverage

Data are available for some indicators, where available, as a time series from 2018 to 2025.

Publication frequency

The results of Maritime Transport Statistics are published annually in accordance with the approved statistical plan.

Statistical Processing

Error detection

The data are reviewed and validated to ensure their accuracy in a manner appropriate to their nature, to improve the quality and accuracy of the statistics provided. 
The current year’s publication data are also compared with the previous year’s data to ensure their validity and consistency in preparation for processing the data, extracting the results, and reviewing them.
In addition, the data are processed and tabulated to verify their accuracy. All outputs are stored and uploaded to the database after being calculated by GASTAT, then reviewed and processed by specialists in the Transport and Logistics Statistics Department using modern technologies and software designed for this purpose.

Data integration and matching from multiple sources 

Maritime Transport Statistics calculate their indicators by integrating data received from multiple sources to ensure comprehensive coverage and consistency of results across commercial and industrial ports. This involves integrating data on ship traffic, passengers, cargo volumes, container traffic, port infrastructure, port efficiency, and maritime safety received from the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority, NEOM, and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu.
These data are processed by integrating and aggregating them to calculate totals at the Saudi Arabia level for commercial and industrial ports.

Imputation and calibration

Annual growth rates are calculated for a number of maritime transport indicators:
Calculated indicators or variables:

• Outbound and inbound cargo volume.
• Arriving and departing passenger traffic.
• Number of outbound and inbound containers.

Applied calculation formula:
Growth rate (%) = ((Current period value − previous period value) ÷ previous period value) × 100
Imputation or statistical calibration methods are not used in Maritime Transport Statistics, as they are based on complete register-based and administrative data. If any data are found to be missing or contain errors, the data-providing entity is contacted directly to complete the data and ensure their consistency before they are approved for inclusion in the publication.

Seasonal adjustments

Not applicable, as only the final results for each year are published based on administrative records from official sources.

Adjustment of preliminary results 

Not applicable, as only final results will be published.

Quality Dimensions

Suitability

A criterion that indicates the extent to which the product meets users’ needs.

User needs 

Internal users for Maritime Transport Statistics Publication data at GASTAT:

• International Indicators Statistics
• Public Sector Partnerships Department 

Several external users and beneficiaries greatly benefit from Maritime Transport Statistics Publication data, including:

• Government entities.
• Regional and international organizations.
• Research institutions.
• Media.
• Individuals.

Key variables used by external users:
 

Completeness 

The Maritime Transport Statistics Publication data are based on the primary source of administrative records available from the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority, NEOM, and Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu. This diversity of sources helps improve the accuracy of the analysis and expand spatial coverage to provide comprehensive information on maritime transport and ensure data completeness.

Accuracy and reliability 

A criterion that indicates the extent to which calculations or estimates are close to the exact or true values that reflect reality.

Accuracy overview 

• Data is checked with previous years to identify any significant changes in the data.
• The internal consistency of the data is checked before it is finalized.
• The relationships between variables are examined, and consistency between different data series is verified.

Timeliness and punctuality 

Timeliness A criterion that indicates the length of time between the availability of information and the occurrence of the event.
Punctuality It reflects the time lag between the data publication date and the target date when publication actually occurs.

Timeliness 

GASTAT is committed to applying internationally recognized standards regarding the announcement, clarification of the time of publishing statistics on its official website, as outlined in the statistical calendar, as well as adhering to the announced time of publication. In the event of any delay, updates will be provided accordingly.
For the purpose of assessing the time lag between the end of the reference year and the publication date of Maritime Transport Statistics, GASTAT follows the practices published by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) in the field of maritime transport statistics as an international reference practice applied within a statistical system comprising several countries and based on harmonized concepts and procedures for data collection and dissemination.
Eurostat practices indicate that there is no uniform time lag for all components of Maritime Transport Statistics, as the timing of data availability varies depending on the scope of the data, the number of data sources, and the level of processing and validation required. The reference practice indicates that aggregated annual maritime transport data may be published within approximately 15 months after the end of the reference year.
The official publication date of the product remains the date specified in GASTAT’s statistical calendar.

Punctuality 

Maritime Transport Statistics are published according to the publication date specified in GASTAT’s statistical calendar. Punctuality is measured by comparing the actual publication date with the date announced in the statistical calendar, while timeliness is measured by the period between the end of the reference year and the date the results are made available.
Eurostat’s practices in Maritime Transport Statistics are used as a reference for assessing the reasonableness of the time lag for an annual multi-source product, taking into account the nature of the national product and the timing of data completion from data providers.

Coherence and comparability

A criterion that refers to the necessity of internal and temporal consistency of statistics, their logical coherence, and their comparability and integration across different regions and sources.
5.4.1.    Comparability – geographically
Statistical data related to the Maritime Transport Statistics Publication are geographically comparable.

Comparability - over time 

The data are fully comparable over time.

Coherence- cross domain

The same definitions and classifications are used when comparing maritime transport with other means of transport, with a standardized definition of the passenger transport indicator applied across the Road Transport Statistics, Railway Transport Statistics, Air Transport Statistics, and Maritime Transport Statistics publications to facilitate comparison.

Coherence- annual and sub-annual statistics 

Annual indicators are calculated by the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority, NEOM, and Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu for all entities engaged in maritime transport activities in Saudi Arabia, while ensuring that annual totals are consistent with administrative records and historical data. 

Coherence- national accounts 

There are no direct overlaps between the Maritime Transport Statistics product and national accounts due to differences in the nature of the data, concepts, methodologies, data sources, and measurement units. Therefore, direct linkage or coherence with national accounts is not applicable to this product.

Coherence- internal 

Maritime transport data demonstrate a high degree of internal coherence, as multiple logical checks and validation procedures are applied to verify the relationships between variables. For example, the total weight of handled cargo by type is compared with the overall total weight of handled cargo.

Accessibility and clarity

Users’ ability to access the data, the availability of detailed or aggregated data, as well as the availability of the Methodology and Quality Report.

News

Announcements for each publication are available in the statistical calendar, as mentioned in Section 9.1. Access to the statistical calendar and press releases can also be viewed on GASTAT’s website. 
News

Publications

GASTAT regularly publishes Maritime Transport Statistics publications and reports on its website according to a pre-established publication plan. GASTAT also ensures that its results are published in a manner that serves all types of users, including publications in various formats containing publication tables, charts of data and indicators, and the methodology and quality report in both Arabic and English.
The results of the Maritime Transport Statistics are available at:    
Maritime Transport Statistics

Online database

The data is published on the statistical database on the link:
Statistical Database – General Authority for Statistics

Microdata accessibility

Not available.

References and standards

GASTAT adopts a unified methodology in carrying out all its statistical work in accordance with the nature of each statistical product. In this regard, GASTAT follows the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM), which is aligned with the business processes adopted by international organizations and is implemented in coordination with relevant authorities to ensure the quality and efficiency of statistical processes. 
For more details, you can refer to the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM) via the following link:
Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM)
Regarding the definitions and concepts used, Railway Transport Statistics are based on the Transport Statistics Glossary, a document prepared by the joint working group between the secretariats of Eurostat, the International Transport Forum, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe – fourth edition
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/3859598/10013293/KS-GQ-19-004-EN-N.pdf/b89e58d3-72ca-49e0-a353-b4ea0dc8988f?t=1568383761000. It also relies on the Statistical Glossary issued by ESCWA.

Quality Assurance

GASTAT is committed to the following principles: Impartiality, user-oriented statistical products, quality of processes and outputs, effectiveness of statistical processes, and minimizing respondent burden. 
Data are validated through quality assurance procedures and controls implemented at different stages of the statistical process, including: data entry, data collection, and other final controls.

Quality Assessment

GASTAT carries out all statistical activities in accordance with the National Model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM)). During the comprehensive evaluation phase, which is the final phase of the GSBPM, the information collected throughout each phase or sub-process is used to prepare an evaluation report summarizing all quality-related challenges associated with each statistical process. The report serves as an input to improvement and development procedures.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality - policy

According to Royal Decree No. 23 dated 07/12/1379, data must always be kept confidential and must be used by GASTAT for statistical purposes only.
Therefore, the data is protected in the data servers of GASTAT.

Data processing confidentiality

Data were displayed in appropriate tables to facilitate their summarization, comprehension, and results extraction. Also, to compare data with other data and extract statistical meanings for the study community. It is also easier to check tables without the need to see any sensitive or confidential data, which violates the confidentiality of statistical data.

Publishing Policy

Statistical calendar

Maritime Transport Statistics are included in the statistical calendar.    
Statistical Calendar

User accessibility

One of GASTAT’s objectives is to better meet its clients' needs, so it immediately provides them with the publication's results once the Maritime Transport Statistics Publication is published.
GASTAT also receives users’ questions and inquiries regarding the publication and its results through various communication channels, including:

• GASTAT’s official website:  www.stats.gov.sa
• GASTAT's official email address:  info@stats.gov.sa
• Official visits to GASTAT’s official head office in Riyadh or one of its branches in Saudi Arabia.
• Official letters.
• Unified number: (199009).