Saudi Arabia’s Ports Authority inked a long-term deal with Bahri, the national shipping company, to build and operate an integrated logistics park at Jeddah Port. The new logistics facility, covering a total area of 95,436 square metres, will help the Kingdom become a global logistics hub. Launching this project is part of our initiatives to achieve the objectives of the National Transportation and Logistics Strategy, which envisions setting up similar logistics zones within and beyond Saudi ports. Leveraging Jeddah Port’s strategic location, this agreement will further expand Bahri’s import, transport, distribution, and storage capabilities and help the company raise the level of its services according to international standards. Once built, Bahri will manage operations at the state-of-the-art facility for 20 years. The logistics park will provide storage and handling services for all types of inbound and outbound shipping containers that are owned by Bahri and other entities. It will be capable of storing reefer, insulated and dry containers with services like container maintenance and repair, container cleaning, bonded storage, and haulage available to clients at any given point.
The Jeddah Port is spread over 12.5 square kilometers and equipped with 62 berths and 4 terminals. The authority is geared to position the Jeddah Port among the top 10 ports globally. Efforts are underway to expand the port’s capacity and upgrade its operations with the help of development projects and concessions. A recent concession worth 9 billion riyals was awarded to DP World for a period of 30 years to improve the operational efficiency of the port’s container terminals and raise its capacity by 70 per cent. The authority signed a similar deal with Maersk Saudi Arabia to establish an integrated logistics park at the Jeddah Port, set to be the company’s largest in the Middle East.