CEO John Drinkwater affirms that a century-old heritage combined with technology and a focus on Saudi Vision 2030 is driving the company’s regional transformation.
Kanoo Shipping, the Middle East’s largest regional ship service provider and the first agency established in the Arabian Gulf in 1911, is successfully leveraging its deep-rooted legacy to drive innovation in the modern maritime sector. John Drinkwater, CEO of Kanoo Shipping, an affiliated company of the Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Company Limited, affirmed that the company’s success lies in balancing its heritage with an aggressive pursuit of modernization and technology, all while aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
“We are recognized not only as Saudi Arabia’s oldest shipping agency but also as one of its most forward-looking,” said Mr. Drinkwater. “Our vision is to be the partner of choice in every Saudi port and every shipping sector. This balance of tradition and innovation enables us to stay true to our founding principles while handling over 20,000 vessels annually across our core services—from tankers and break-bulk to specialized solutions for military vessels and luxury yachts.”
Driving Saudi Arabia’s Giga-Projects
Saudi Arabia remains the cornerstone of Kanoo Shipping’s strategy. The company is a crucial enabler for the Kingdom’s transformative giga-projects, providing direct agency coverage across all major ports. A key milestone in this support was welcoming the opening of the Port of NEOM. Kanoo Shipping is actively collaborating with leading contractors such as Boskalis and Deme Group, assisting with dredging and quay wall construction for projects like Oxagon Port, and handling specialized shipments of cranes and windmills to support renewable energy and infrastructure development in the NEOM region.
Furthermore, the company is supporting the Kingdom’s tourism goals by enabling cruise traffic into Jeddah and strengthening its offshore and tanker support through strategic investments in Saudi-flagged crew boats. This operational support, coupled with an unwavering commitment to HSSE and digital transformation, fully aligns with NEOM’s carbon-neutral vision and the broader logistics ambitions of Vision 2030.
Digitalizing the Port Call Experience
Kanoo Shipping is enhancing efficiency through technology with its proprietary Kanoo Port Interface (KPI) platform. “The KPI is transforming our operations by digitizing the entire process, automating manual tasks, and providing real-time visibility on port calls,” Mr. Drinkwater explained. This technology provides principals with enhanced transparency and integration with accounting systems, allowing for better planning and faster decision-making.
Looking ahead, the company’s digital roadmap includes developing AI-driven decision-support models and mobile-first solutions to create a more frictionless, data-driven experience across its global network.
Mr. Drinkwater noted that the company’s enduring family business culture—based on transparency, mutual respect, and long-term partnership—is central to maintaining customer trust. “We view our clients not merely as customers, but as partners on a shared journey, where their success is deeply intertwined with ours,” he concluded.
Kanoo Shipping sees the greatest regional growth opportunities in Saudi Arabia over the next three-to-five years, specifically through deeper involvement in giga-projects, expansion of Ro-Ro, breakbulk, and bulk capabilities in the Western Province, and growth in strategic offshore hubs like Ras Al Khair and Jubail.
