Prime Highlights :
- Saudia Cargo launches direct Riyadh-Melbourne freighter route to boost Saudi-Australia trade.
- New service supports Vision 2030 logistics goals and Saudi export growth beyond oil.
Key Facts :
- Boeing 747-400 freighter carries over 100 tonnes with nose-loading capability.
- Saudia Cargo adds four Boeing 777-200 freighters under recent Boeing agreement.
Background :
Saudia Cargo launched a direct freighter service between Riyadh and Melbourne, seeking to speed up cargo movement and strengthen trade ties between Saudi Arabia and Australia.
A Boeing 747-400 freighter, carrying over 100 tonnes, operates the new scheduled route. Its nose-loading capability lets it carry heavy machinery, oversized equipment and other high-volume cargo.
Australia has grown into a key trading partner for Saudi Arabia, especially in food products, mining, healthcare and industrial goods. The upgraded air link should cut transit times for high-value shipments, backing the Kingdom’s drive to expand exports beyond oil and deepen ties across Asia-Pacific.
The route reflects Saudia Cargo’s push to widen its international network amid rising demand for logistics services. The company said the Melbourne route strengthens global connectivity, helping Saudi exports reach new markets and reinforcing the Kingdom’s logistics hub status.
Saudia Cargo is working with the General Authority for Foreign Trade and the Saudi Export Development Authority to expand export reach, while coordinating with the Saudi-Australian Business Council to bring in local logistics partners.
Daipayan Adhikari, head of integrated logistics at United Warehouse Co. Ltd., called the route a major milestone for Saudi Arabia’s logistics sector and a strong step toward Vision 2030.
He said it would strengthen supply chains for pharmaceuticals, perishables, e-commerce and advanced manufacturing goods, and that continued infrastructure investment would boost Saudi Arabia’s role as a gateway linking Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
The route adds to Saudia Cargo’s expansion, following its Boeing agreement to add four 777-200 freighters, growing cargo capacity across four continents.
