Ashdod Port Adapts to New Trade Patterns Amid War

Since the start of the 'Iron Sabres' war on October 7, 2023, Ashdod Port has become an economic and security front. "99% of goods to Israel arrive by sea, and Ashdod Port is responsible for 40% of them," said the Chairman of the Board, Shaul Schneider, at the 'People of the State' conference this week.

According to Schneider, "We are a strategic facility that must continue to operate in any situation - even under fire." Therefore, he said, on the first day of the war, port workers mobilized to unload military equipment and ammunition for the IDF - actions sometimes carried out under fire. "We also served the American MZCH, despite the failure of that project, which the US burned $320 million on. We also served the Navy, which during the war in the north moved the entire Haifa base into our civilian port."

Schneider also referred to the cessation of activity at Eilat Port due to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, and said that hundreds of thousands of vehicles from the Far East that were supposed to reach it - were transferred to Ashdod Port. "We found ourselves suddenly with much greater responsibility," he said. "But we met it significantly and efficiently - trade was not harmed."

Despite the security situation, Ashdod Port finished 2024 with a 5% increase in revenues - to 1.05 billion shekels and a net profit of 168 million shekels. According to Schneider, "We lost 16% of activity due to the cessation of imports from Turkey, but malt imports from Egypt grew dramatically - today 25% of the malt in Israel comes from there. Vehicles from the East also helped close the gap."

In parallel, the port is promoting technological innovation. "Our goal is to be not only the largest in Israel, but also the smartest. We opened an innovation arm that allows startups to test products in the field, and we have partnerships with 22 ports around the world."

Schneider also addressed cyber threats: "At the beginning of the war, we absorbed 134,000 cyber attacks per month. We disconnected all Chinese systems in the cranes, replaced them with German equipment, and used Israeli cyber companies. Out of 96 startups we examined - we invested in eight of them and became partners."