Photo for illustrative purposes only - credits @ Julia volk

New Saudi feeder service launched in Red Sea amid exodus of larger vessels

At a time when most container ships are steering clear of the Red Sea, former Hamburg Sud managing director Poul Hestbaek has launched Folk Maritime, Saudi Arabia's first dedicated feeder and short sea operator.

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According to its website, Folk Maritime is committed to providing reliable, cost-effective and customer-focused solutions to connect key ports in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Sudan. Hestbaek’s aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a global logistics hub and help reshape the maritime landscape of the region.

The company’s maiden fleet includes two non-owned 2,500-TEU feeder units plying between Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt, alongside a 750-TEU vessel serving Sudan from Jeddah. 

Hestbaek, who joined Folk Maritime after leaving Maersk in 2023, sees the venture as playing a crucial role in fulfilling Saudi Arabia’s logistical aspirations:

Folk Maritime was born out of this ambition, he stated, offering the first feeder shipping service from within the kingdom, connecting with key transshipment routes.

Folk Maritime’s inaugural routes include the Port Sudan Service (PSS) and the North Red Sea Service (NRS), with the PSS operating a fortnightly 700 TEU vessel between Jeddah and Sudan, while the NRS will operate two 2,500 TEU vessels weekly between Jeddah, Neom, Ain Sokhna, Aqaba, Yanbu and Jeddah.

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