Dubai - Saudi Ports Authority Mawani has launched a new shipping service linking the ports of Jeddah, Salalah and Djibouti with a capacity of 1,730 standard containers, Saudi state TV reported on Thursday.

• The service aims to strengthen maritime connectivity between the kingdom and global ports.

• Saudi Arabia has expanded shipping services through Red Sea ports including Yanbu and Jeddah as regional trade routes face disruptions caused by the Iran war and an effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

• Earlier this week, Mawani launched the "Red Sea Express" service linking Jeddah, Yanbu, Ain Sokhna in Egypt and Aqaba in Jordan with a capacity of 1,100 standard containers.

(Reporting by Ahmed ElimamEditing by Tomasz Janowski)