Why Saudi buyers source scrap from Europe
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 industrial strategy has expanded secondary metals capacity substantially — new aluminum re-rolling capacity in Jubail and Ras Al Khair, expanded copper rod and cable manufacturing in Riyadh and Dammam, and a maturing steel industry across the Eastern Province. Domestic scrap collection is limited relative to melt-shop capacity, so imports fill the gap. European scrap dominates KSA imports because EU documentation satisfies Saudi Customs and SASO (Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization) requirements, and because per-container quality is consistent — critical for buyers running continuous re-melt schedules.
Products we ship to Saudi Arabia
Copper: Millberry, Candy, Chops, Birch/Cliff — for KSA copper rod and cable manufacturers. Aluminum: UBC bales, 6063 extrusion, 6061 structural, Taint/Tabor, Tense, Troma wheels — for aluminum re-rolling mills in Jubail and Ras Al Khair, and die-casters serving the domestic auto-parts industry. Brass: Honey and mixed brass — for KSA brass hardware manufacturers. HMS 1&2 and plate/structural steel — for mini-mills producing rebar and merchant bar.
Shipping routes to Saudi Arabia
From Rotterdam we serve three primary Saudi ports: Jeddah Islamic Port (Red Sea, serving western KSA and central Riyadh), Dammam (King Abdulaziz Port, Eastern Province), and Jubail Commercial Port (dedicated industrial city on the Eastern Province, home to major aluminum and steel capacity). Direct sailings Rotterdam → Jeddah run 14–18 days on Maersk and CMA-CGM. Rotterdam → Dammam/Jubail typically transhipments via Jebel Ali or Salalah, 18–22 days total. Contract-to-loaded lead time is 7–14 days.
SASO compliance and pre-shipment inspection
Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) requires imported metal scrap to meet purity and contamination specifications, with certain grades subject to SABER or Conformity Assessment Program (CAP) requirements. We arrange SGS or Bureau Veritas pre-shipment inspection at our Rotterdam yard covering purity, moisture and freedom from prescribed contaminants (radioactive material, ozone-depleting substances, hazardous residues). The certificate travels with the shipping documents to Saudi Customs. Basel Convention Annex VII documentation covers the waste-shipment movement.
Documentation for Saudi customs clearance
Every container ships with: commercial invoice (Arabic translation available), packing list, weighbridge tickets, container photographs, bill of lading (three originals typical for KSA LC), certificate of origin (EUR.1 or Chamber-of-Commerce legalised as required), pre-shipment inspection certificate, and Annex VII movement document. HS codes declared correctly (7404, 7602, 7204, 7404 subheadings for brass). Documents legalised by the Saudi Embassy in The Hague when required for LC compliance — this adds 3–5 business days and requires planning at contract signature.
Payment terms and LC handling
Saudi buyers typically transact by irrevocable LC at sight, advised through Al Rajhi Bank, Saudi National Bank (SNB), Banque Saudi Fransi, Riyad Bank, or Arab National Bank, opened in favour of Nautica Metal Scrap B.V. via our Rotterdam banking relationships. 30% TT advance + 70% LC at sight is available for repeat accounts. UCP 600 governs. Islamic-finance-compliant Murabaha structures are accommodated on request.
Buyer KYC and eligibility
KYC pack required: Saudi company registration (Commercial Registration / CR), MODON industrial licence or Ministry of Investment permit, SABER product-registration reference if applicable, VAT registration, most recent bank reference, and a recent utility bill or lease. Verification 24–48 hours. We contract only with licensed KSA end-users and licensed importers, not with unverified trading intermediaries.
Pricing and market pattern for Saudi deliveries
Copper priced as a percentage of LME Copper Grade A settlement CIF Jeddah or Dammam. Aluminum as a percentage of LME P1020A CIF Jubail. HMS priced against Turkish Iskenderun deep-sea benchmark plus Saudi basis. Freight from Rotterdam to Jeddah is short (14–18 days direct) making CIF pricing very competitive for KSA buyers vs. sourcing through UAE resellers. Written quotes issued within 24 hours of RFQ, valid 48 hours subject to LME.