Shipping Arabia, September 20, 2026 – Jordan is moving to strengthen supply chain resilience, strategic inventories and alternative logistics routes, with industry representatives calling for faster customs clearance and continued coordination with global shipping lines to safeguard cargo flows through Aqaba.
The discussions follow directives by Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, while chairing part of a Cabinet session on September 16, to treat supply chains as a national priority and take measures to maintain strategic stocks of essential goods amid regional economic and logistics pressures.
Nabil Al-Khatib, First Vice Chairman of the Amman Chamber of Commerce, said Jordan should move beyond the traditional concept of strategic stockpiles toward a broader national logistics security framework. He proposed establishing a national council bringing together the public and private sectors to oversee supply chain continuity, strategic inventories and measurable implementation plans.
Al-Khatib said priorities should include diversifying supply sources and transport routes, accelerating cargo clearance and release, improving logistics efficiency and developing an integrated national database covering inventories and supply chains.
Dr. Deifallah Abu Aqoula, President of the Clearance Companies and Cargo Transporters Syndicate, called for greater use of pre-arrival clearance and green-lane procedures for essential goods, alongside incentives to expand private-sector storage capacity. He also stressed the need to diversify import origins and transport corridors rather than relying on a single route.
Abu Aqoula said rising freight and insurance costs and disruption to international logistics corridors have increased the importance of coordinated contingency planning, data sharing and faster decision-making between government agencies and the private sector.
Hamza Al-Halaika, Board Member of the General Syndicate of Foodstuff Traders, highlighted the maritime dimension of the strategy, calling for closer coordination with global shipping lines to maintain the priority and continuity of cargo arrivals at Aqaba Port, alongside faster movement through customs and other regulatory procedures.
The proposals place Aqaba, Jordan’s principal maritime gateway, at the center of efforts to build a more resilient national logistics system, supported by diversified transport routes, faster cargo flows, strategic storage and closer public-private coordination.
Source: Jordan News Agency – Petra
Food Security
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Jordan Pushes Supply Chain Resilience as Aqaba Takes Center Stage in Logistics Security