Disclaimer: Port fee structures in Saudi Arabia are updated through Mawani circulars and board decisions. Rates and procedures described in this article reflect the 2026 framework. Always confirm current free-time allowances and storage rates with your terminal operator and customs broker before cargo arrives at port.
Your container arrived at Jeddah Islamic Port on Sunday. The broker filed the declaration on Monday. By Wednesday, you have a customs release, but nobody booked the truck. That two-day gap isn't free. It never was. In 2026, though, who sends you the bill changed.
Mawani, the Saudi Ports Authority, assumed responsibility for calculating and collecting port storage charges through a phased rollout in 2026. Board Decision No. 282/T/D3, dated 22 March 2026, established the framework; it was not the start date for every port. Free periods and daily charges remain subject to the applicable regulations and circulars.
The rollout schedule names eight ports. Do not assume that the same start date or transit tariff applies at every Saudi port. Confirm the port, cargo category and applicable circular before calculating a shipment's charges.
What Changed and Why
Port storage charges previously collected through ZATCA transferred to Mawani on the effective date specified for each port. ZATCA remains responsible for calculating and collecting charges relating to periods before that port's transfer date.
The regulatory basis includes the Ports Services Fees and Charges Regulation, established under Royal Decree M/42, and the storage calculation and collection regulation approved by Board Decision No. 282/T/D3.
The collection transfer and tariff changes are separate matters. A change in billing authority does not by itself establish a new free period or daily rate. For importers, both the applicable collection period and the relevant cargo tariff need to be checked.
The Phased Transfer Timeline
Circular 24/2026 updated the earlier schedule in Circular 15/2026. Its revised dates are:
| Port | Effective transfer date |
|---|---|
| King Abdulaziz Port, Dammam | 1 April 2026 |
| Jubail Commercial Port | 10 May 2026 |
| King Fahd Industrial Port, Jubail | 16 May 2026 |
| Ras Al-Khair Port | 16 May 2026 |
| Yanbu Commercial Port | 14 June 2026 |
| King Fahd Industrial Port, Yanbu | 14 June 2026 |
| Jazan Port | 28 June 2026 |
| Jeddah Islamic Port | 10 July 2026 |
Dammam was first and Jeddah was last in this revised eight-port schedule. King Abdullah Port is not listed in this schedule; confirm its own applicable arrangements rather than extending these dates to it.
What Mawani Circular 35/2026 Covers
Mawani Circular No. 35 for 2026 specifically addresses storage fees for transit cargo at Jeddah Islamic Port. Transit containers (goods passing through Saudi Arabia bound for another GCC or regional destination) are subject to their own storage fee schedule under this circular.
Issued on 6 September 2026, Circular 35/2026 extends the provisions of Circular 30/2026 for 60 days from the end of that earlier circular's period. It is a temporary arrangement, not a permanent tariff. The following schedule applies to standard transit containers and the listed IMDG categories, excluding classes 1, 5 and 7:
| Days from vessel discharge | 20-foot container | 40-foot container |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1-15 | Exempt | Exempt |
| Days 16-40 | SAR 6/day | SAR 12/day |
| Days 41-50 | SAR 30/day | SAR 60/day |
| Days 51-60 | SAR 60/day | SAR 120/day |
| Day 61 onward | SAR 300/day | SAR 400/day |
Rates are charged per day or part of a day. Storage time runs from discharge from the vessel until actual port exit, using the port's operational timestamps. Different cargo categories have different rules; this table is not a tariff for all import or transit cargo.
Circular 35/2026 applies specifically to transit cargo at Jeddah Islamic Port. For import containers or another port, including Dammam or King Abdullah Port, confirm the applicable authority, tariff and terminal terms rather than using this Jeddah transit table.
Why This Matters for Import Planning
Storage fees at Saudi ports compound fast. Miss the free window by a few days and you're looking at a real invoice; tiered rates mean costs accelerate rather than simply accumulate, and a container that sat over two weekends because of a documentation problem can generate a bill that erases the margin on the shipment.
The shift of fee collection to Mawani changes which system your broker or freight forwarder tracks for billing status and payment. Importers who previously monitored cost exposure through the ZATCA/Fasah interface need to understand that storage billing now runs through Mawani's own administrative systems.
What hasn't changed:
• Free time depends on the cargo category: the container category in the table has 15 exempt days; this does not mean all cargo is exempt from day-one charges
• Rates are circular-driven: they change when Mawani issues new circulars, and that can happen between your bookings
• The importer's obligation: storage fees are ultimately the importer's responsibility unless your shipping line or freight forwarder agreement specifies otherwise
What has changed:
• The billing authority: Mawani issues and manages storage fee invoices, not ZATCA
• The clearing interface: Payment and dispute resolution for storage fees now goes through Mawani's port administration channels
The Cost Risk: What Happens When Cargo Sits
Port storage is not a fixed cost. It scales with dwell time, and the tiered rate structure means the longer cargo stays past the free period, the faster the number grows.
Documentation gaps: If the customs declaration can't be filed because documents are incomplete, such as a missing certificate of origin, no SABER certificate for a regulated product, or SFDA registration pending, the cargo sits. Waiting to file doesn't pause the clock. Each of those days counts on the storage bill. An SFDA hold on a food shipment that lands without prior registration can mean a week or more of accumulating fees before the issue is resolved.
Inspection holds: Customs review, document checks or physical inspection can extend the time before release. No fixed additional number of days applies to every shipment. Complete documents reduce avoidable queries, but they do not guarantee a particular inspection outcome or release date.
Shipping line demurrage: Separate from port storage is demurrage, which is the charge from the shipping line for holding their container beyond the agreed free-use period. Demurrage runs concurrently with port storage in many cases. The two charges together compound the cost of delays. These remain shipping line charges, entirely separate from Mawani's storage billing.
Delayed customs release: Even after a declaration is approved, the logistics of arranging truck collection, coordinating with the terminal, and sequencing the release all take time. A declaration approved on a Friday in Jeddah may not physically leave the terminal until Sunday or Monday. That gap is on the storage clock.
The importer who builds pre-arrival lead time, submitting documents before the vessel berths, having a broker ready to file the moment the arrival notice lands, and booking the truck before customs release, spends the least in storage. The importer who starts the process after the vessel berths typically pays the most.
Confirming Current Rates Before Cargo Arrives
Mawani fee structures are circular-driven. Royal Decree M/42 gives Mawani authority to update rates through the board process, and the specific numbers that apply to your shipment depend on circulars current at the time your cargo arrives, not on figures from a previous shipment or from a guide published months ago.
Before committing to a booking:
• Ask your customs broker for the current free-time allowance at your specific terminal, as not all terminals within a port operate on identical terms
• Confirm whether any Mawani circulars have been issued since your last shipment that adjust the rate schedule
• For transit cargo through Jeddah, confirm the terms under Circular 35/2026 or its successor if a later circular has been issued
• Factor Mawani storage separately from shipping line demurrage in your cost model, as they're different charges from different parties and don't offset each other
A broker who regularly handles cargo through your relevant terminal knows the current free period and rate structure. One working from memory or a previous circular may quote figures that no longer apply. That's a problem you discover after the fact when the invoice arrives.
Practical Steps for Importers
The administrative transfer to Mawani doesn't change how you minimise storage costs. It changes which billing system those costs flow through.
Pre-arrival checklist: 1. Submit all customs documents to your broker before the vessel berths, not after 2. Confirm SABER conformity certificates, SFDA registration, or other product-specific approvals are complete before the vessel sails 3. Book truck or inland transport in parallel with customs filing; don't wait for release before booking 4. Ask your broker to confirm current Mawani free-time allowances at your specific terminal
At the port: 1. Your broker should file the customs declaration through Fasah as soon as the bill of lading and arrival notice are available 2. Monitor inspection lane assignment. If your shipment is channelled to yellow or red, adjust your trucking schedule immediately, not after the inspection concludes 3. Count storage time from vessel discharge, not from declaration filing, using the terminal's operational timestamps
For transit cargo through Jeddah: 1. Storage charges depend on the cargo's dwell time and applicable category, not on filing a transit declaration alone 2. Coordinate truck dispatch and transit declaration filing to close the gap between arrival and port exit
Rukn Al Mawani: Port Clearance and Storage Management
Rukn Al Mawani holds ZATCA customs broker licence No. 6545 (NUN 7052913139), headquartered in Dammam with operations at all 11 Saudi seaports including King Abdulaziz Port (Dammam), Jeddah Islamic Port, and King Abdullah Port (KAEC).
Our team handles the full clearance sequence, including pre-arrival document review, Fasah declaration filing, inspection coordination, and release follow-up, with the aim of minimising dwell time and the storage costs that come with it. For importers who regularly bring cargo through Saudi ports, we maintain current knowledge of Mawani's fee structures and can tell you before you book what the current free-time terms are at your relevant terminal.
For transit cargo moving through Saudi Arabia to GCC destinations, we handle both the customs transit declaration and the port-side coordination at Jeddah or Dammam.
Contact us before your next shipment to find out what current terms apply to your commodity and route.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I contact for storage fee billing at Saudi ports?
Storage fee billing now runs through Mawani's administrative systems rather than ZATCA/Fasah. Your customs broker or freight forwarder is the right point of contact. They manage the billing interface with the terminal on your behalf.
Did the free storage period change when Mawani took over billing?
The administrative transfer was a billing change, not necessarily a rate change. The regulatory framework, specifically Royal Decree M/42 and Mawani board decisions, governs the free-period structure, and rates are set by Mawani circulars that may have been updated separately. Confirm current free-time allowances with your broker; don't assume the terms you had six months ago are still in effect.
What is Mawani Circular 35/2026?
Circular 35/2026 sets the storage fee schedule for transit cargo at Jeddah Islamic Port specifically, covering containers arriving at Jeddah for onward road movement to a GCC destination rather than Saudi customs release. It defines the free storage period and the tiered daily rates that apply after that period expires.
Are shipping line demurrage charges the same as port storage fees?
No. Port storage fees relate to occupying space at the port. Demurrage is charged by the shipping line under its container-use terms. Both can apply simultaneously, but their free periods and calculation rules must be checked separately; they are not automatically counted from the same starting point.
Does this change affect clearance through Dammam (King Abdulaziz Port)?
Yes. King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam transferred on 1 April 2026 under the revised rollout schedule. Circular 35/2026 addresses Jeddah transit cargo specifically and should not be used as Dammam's tariff. Confirm the applicable Dammam terms with your broker.
Rukn Al Mawani Logistics | ZATCA Licence No. 6545 | NUN 7052913139 | Dammam, Eastern Province
Port clearance at all 11 Saudi commercial seaports
Official Sources
• Mawani Circular 35/2026 and supporting circulars: full document
• Makkah Chamber's publication linking to Circular 35/2026
• Mawani Circular 24/2026: revised collection timeline
• Tabuk Chamber's publication linking to Circular 24/2026
Related Reading and Contact
• Demurrage versus detention: understanding separate charges