Infrastructure

Oxagon Port Rises at World’s Largest Construction Site

Oxagon is being promoted as a model for future industrial cities.

Updated on

June 20, 2025

New satellite images show rapid construction progress at the Port of NEOM, a central piece of Saudi Arabia’s Oxagon project—planned as the world’s largest floating industrial zone.

Located on the Red Sea, Oxagon is one of the key developments under NEOM, the country’s massive new-city initiative backed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which aims to build a future beyond oil.

Images taken by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites reveal ongoing work on port facilities, industrial buildings and early preparations for housing and logistics areas.

On completion, Oxagon is expected to host up to 90,000 residents and become a hub for clean-tech manufacturing powered entirely by renewable energy.

The Port of NEOM recently received its first batch of automated, remote-controlled cranes, which will be used to handle cargo at the Red Sea terminal.

“The Port of NEOM is excited to receive the first batch of cranes and other cargo handling equipment as we come another step closer to delivering our vision,” said Melissa Blake, Port Director at NEOM, in a LinkedIn update.

Oxagon is close to the Suez Canal, where about 12% of global trade passes through. This makes it a very strategic location and could change how goods move between Asia, Africa, and Europe. Experts at Blackridge Research believe this could turn Oxagon into a major centre for shipping and trade.

First announced in 2021, Oxagon is being promoted as a model for future industrial cities. It is designed to run on clean energy, follow circular economy principles, and support advanced manufacturing through digital technologies.

“It will contribute to Saudi Arabia’s regional trade and commerce, and support creating a new focal point for global trade flows,” the Crown Prince said at the project’s launch.

One of the most ambitious parts of Oxagon is a planned $8.4 billion green hydrogen plant, developed by NEOM’s Green Hydrogen Company. The facility is expected to become the world’s largest of its kind.

In a statement earlier this year, Oxagon CEO Vishal Wanchoo said: “Industrial development cannot continue at the expense of people or the environment. We’re offering a compact, mixed-use city where industry, nature, and community coexist.”