As the world knows, Houston, Texas is the dominating pole of the oil industry since the discovery of the Spindletop Oilfields. The state is home to some of the most skilled and efficient labor with high experience working in the oil industry.
The land of Texas is rich in natural resources and has built a widespread network of transportation.
All these factors attract industry leaders such as Exxon Mobil to operate from here. The industry has grown rapidly in the last few decades, so rapidly that it’s now worth more than 200 Billion Dollars.
The oil industry is mainly concentrated around the city of Houston, Texas, making it the prime location for large scale oil & gas machinery manufacturers. People mostly associate oil when talking about Texas, but the fact is that this wasn’t the case for a very long time.
The use of oil extracts was limited to lamps and lubrication for machinery as there were no cars, trucks, trains, etc to consume the supply. The farmers of the state also claimed that they were facing losses because the oil had been affecting their crops.
Later, the Texas Railroad Commission was founded by the state in 1891 to help regulate the sector.
The commission would grow to be one of Texas’ most powerful regulatory organizations, controlling not only the oil and gas sector but also all transportation-related issues. After this, the demand for oil increased drastically.
As the oil industry expanded, it attracted many oil equipment and heavy machinery manufacturers to settle around the city of Houston.
As a major part of the oil industry was concentrated in the city, it is now the largest city in the state and home to some of the biggest manufacturers in the world.
Shipping to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has succeeded in maintaining the virtue of its marine environment and has achieved a leading position in the maritime transport sector. Ships, shipping, ports, and the human element often manage maritime transportation services. These elements play a significant part in sustaining the economy and creating job opportunities in this industry.
Primary Saudi entry points for project cargo include Jeddah Islamic Port on the Red Sea, King Abdulaziz Port Dammam on the Arabian Gulf, and Jubail Commercial Port for petrochemical and heavy industrial shipments. Inland containers for the capital flow through Riyadh Dry Port for FCL and LCL moves to distribution centers in Riyadh, Dhahran, and Khobar.
Saudi Arabia, one of the most maritimely developed nations in the world, is a key player in the growth of this industry. Due to its rich geographical location and huge coastline, Saudi Arabia has easy access to the continent of Africa, and countries such as Israel, Iraq, Egypt, India, and Pakistan, and can easily route around the world.
Can Us Ship to Saudi Arabia?
Strong trade relations exist between the US and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia ranked as the 23rd-largest export market for the United States in 2018, receiving items worth $13.6 billion from the United States.
The language barrier makes it difficult to ship goods from the US to Saudi Arabia.
Therefore, it’s critical to pick a freight forwarder who can expedite the process and is conversant in the local language and business practices.
Saudi Arabia Shipping Requirements
Commercial cargo entering Saudi Arabia must comply with SASO (Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization) regulations and be registered on the SABER Platform for conformity assessment.
Customs clearance and duties are administered by ZATCA (Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority).
Ask our team to coordinate Certificates of Conformity (CoC) on SABER before loading to prevent holds at Jeddah or Dammam.
Some general documentation is required for shipping from USA to Saudi Arabia and they are
- Commercial invoice
- Permanent Label showing Country Of Origin
- Legalized Certificate of Origin by USA’s Chamber of Commerce
- Bill Of Lading
- Clean Report of Findings
- Insurance Documents
- List of Items in the shipment
- Applicable SASO/SABER Certificates of Conformity (CoC) tied to HS codes for ZATCA clearance
Different Shipping Options
There are two ways to export goods to Saudi Arabia from Houston: Air Freight or Ocean Freight. Exporters and importers use both methods equally because they are both highly trustworthy.
Depending entirely on your needs, both options have advantages and disadvantages.
For instance, if you need to transport a container to Saudi Arabia quickly and you’re in a hurry, it’s advisable to choose air freight as although it costs more, it takes around 2–4 business days to send a consignment from the USA to Saudi Arabia.
Else, if you do not want to spend as much on transporting your product, then it is better to use ocean freight, which requires less shipping cost but takes about 30–45 days from Houston to Jeddah Islamic Port or King Abdulaziz Port Dammam depending on routing and transshipment.
Target discharge ports depend on your final destination. West Coast projects favor Jeddah.
East Coast oil and industrial projects often route via Dammam or Jubail Commercial Port, with inland moves to Riyadh Dry Port for distribution into Riyadh, Dhahran, and Khobar.
There are many other pros and cons of both services and we will be discussing them below to help you plan your cargo shipping to Saudi Arabia from Houston easier and wiser.
Pros and Cons of Ocean Freight to Saudi Arabia
Pros
- Ship Heavy Consignments
Commercial vessels handle oversized machinery and breakbulk safely to Jeddah, Dammam, or Jubail, with inland rail or truck to Riyadh Dry Port. - Lesser Shipping Cost
Sea freight to Saudi Arabia is far cheaper than air on a per-ton basis, especially for construction machinery, oil & gas modules, and transformers. - Deliver Your Cargo Safely
Breakbulk, Ro-Ro, and project cargo standards allow safe moves for cranes, compressors, BOPs, and skids to Saudi ports.
Cons
- Slow Shipping
Ocean legs from Houston to Saudi Arabia average 30–45 days. Air is recommended for shutdown-critical parts. - Port and Inland Constraints
Project receiving windows, port congestion, or inland permits can affect timelines into Riyadh and the Eastern Province. - Weather and Scheduling
Routing and seasonal conditions can add variance to ETAs into Jeddah and Dammam.
Pros and Cons of Air Freight to Saudi Arabia
Pros
- Fast Shipping
Typical air transit to Saudi gateways is 2–4 days. Critical spares reach Riyadh or the Eastern Province quickly. - Access to the world
Air networks provide reliable access for time-sensitive oil & gas and power-gen parts. - Dependability
Higher schedule reliability for urgent shipments compared with ocean routings.
Cons
- High Cost Of Shipping
Air pricing is weight and volume driven and can be cost-prohibitive for heavy machinery. - Size and Weight Restrictions
Aircraft limits restrict large oilfield modules that otherwise fit as breakbulk or Ro-Ro. - Unpredictable Weather
Weather or slot controls can add 1–2 days to urgent timetables.
Types of Load
Before you choose a Freight Service for container Shipping to Saudi Arabia, you must choose between FCL, Full Container Load, or LCL, Less than a Container Load.
Full Container Load (FCL) means you’ll have an entire container just for your goods which will keep your goods completely isolated and safe but will increase your shipping cost to ship your container to Saudi Arabia. Containers can rail to Riyadh Dry Port for final distribution.
Less than a Container Load (LCL) means if your container doesn’t need a full container to ship your cargo, or if you don’t mind sharing a container with other cargo, then you can choose LCL which will reduce the shipping cost.
Texas International Freight mainly focuses on shipping oil rigs and other oil-related heavy equipment by air and sea and provides the cheapest shipping from USA to Saudi Arabia.
We believe that dependability, expertise, honesty, and hard work are essential elements in any good shipping company.
Primary Saudi Ports and Inland Hubs
- Jeddah Islamic Port — main Red Sea gateway for containers and breakbulk to Western Saudi Arabia.
- King Abdulaziz Port Dammam — leading Arabian Gulf port for industrial and oil projects.
- Jubail Commercial Port — strategic for petrochemical and heavy industrial cargo flows.
- Riyadh Dry Port — key inland hub for FCL/LCL destined for the capital region.
Kuwait Corridor Note
Projects in the Eastern Province often interlink with Kuwait. Typical Kuwait points of entry include Shuwaikh Port and Shuaiba Port, with final delivery into Kuwait City and the Ahmadi / Mina Al Ahmadi oil complex.
Ocean transit from Houston to Kuwait averages 30–45 days depending on routing. Import clearance aligns with the Kuwait Customs Tariff and rules on prohibited/restricted goods such as age limits on used machinery.
For dedicated guidance, see our Shipping to Kuwait page.
For more details, please visit our website.
We hope that the details provided above will help you make a better decision in fulfilling your shipping-related needs.
Texas International Freight ships break bulk cargo all over the world, to destinations including the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Norway, Nigeria, Angola, South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru, China, Singapore, Australia, Vietnam, India, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Libya, Syria, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Spain, Algeria and many other countries besides.
