Aqaba is jordan's only seaport and the Levant's Red Sea gateway, also serving landlocked transit cargo, operated by Aqaba Development Corporation, container terminal operated by APM Terminals at Aqaba. It works 16 m of alongside draft and around 1.2 million TEU at the Aqaba Container Terminal. Cargo discharged here clears under Jordan rules — 5% customs duty, 16% VAT and 2–5 working days for a complete file. For all Jordanian sea imports, and for Levant or Iraqi transit cargo that would otherwise route through a congested Mediterranean port.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Aqaba, Jordan |
| Operator | Aqaba Development Corporation, container terminal operated by APM Terminals |
| Container capacity | Around 1.2 million TEU at the Aqaba Container Terminal |
| Alongside draft | 16 m |
| Cargo handled | Containerised general cargo, Grain and foodstuffs, Phosphate and potash exports, Transit cargo for Iraq and the Levant |
| Hinterland served | Amman (330 km by road), the Jordan Valley and overland transit corridors into Iraq, Syria and Saudi Arabia |
| Attached facilities | Aqaba Special Economic Zone offers reduced tariffs and bonded storage next to the terminal |
| Origin | Est. freight (USD) | Transit (days) | Service into this port | Route detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | $1,400 | 6 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| India | $1,500 | 12 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Turkey | $1,900 | 14 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| China | $2,200 | 22 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Italy | $2,900 | 20 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Singapore | $2,000 | 12 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Vietnam | $2,300 | 23 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| South Korea | $2,400 | 24 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Netherlands | $3,038 | 29 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Germany | $3,200 | 31 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| USA | $4,200 | 38 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
For all Jordanian sea imports, and for Levant or Iraqi transit cargo that would otherwise route through a congested Mediterranean port.
Inland, Aqaba serves Amman (330 km by road), the Jordan Valley and overland transit corridors into Iraq, Syria and Saudi Arabia. Aqaba Special Economic Zone offers reduced tariffs and bonded storage next to the terminal.
The lanes with the strongest direct or high-frequency service into Aqaba are China, Turkey, Egypt, India, Italy — those sailings are usually the cheapest and most schedule-reliable way to reach this terminal.
Jordan is served by Aqaba, its single sea gateway on the Red Sea, and also acts as a transit corridor for Levant-bound cargo.
Cargo discharged at Aqaba clears under Jordan customs rules — JOD is the settlement currency and duty and VAT are assessed on the declared CIF value. Importers routing through Aqaba should budget both the ocean freight shown above and destination charges (THC, documentation, delivery order and inland haulage), which the landed cost calculator itemises.
Estimate all-in shipping costs into Aqaba.