Saudi Arabia unveils key development projects for Jubail ports
JEDDAH, November 1, 2023
Saudi Arabia has launched several strategic projects at Jubail Commercial and Industrial Ports which are aimed at boosting throughput capacity and upgrading the infrastructure, reported SPA.
These include a railway project that links the northern and eastern railway networks and also connects the internal railway network with Jubail Industrial City and its industrial and commercial ports.
These initiatives would help to reduce congestion, minimize the ports' carbon footprint, and expand shipping operations, providing new and advanced options and solutions that focus on reliability and efficiency, in addition to enhancing infrastructure and increasing port capacity, it stated.
Saudi Arabia Railways had last month launched the new internal network will serve the industrial facilities in Jubail Industrial City and extends from Sadara Company in Jubail to King Fahad Industrial Port and Jubail Commercial Port in Jubail.
More than 6 million tonnes of liquid and solid materials are expected to be transported annually from King Fahd Port.
Acording to SAR officials, this connection would contribute to providing integrated solutions and complete logistical services by linking the commercial and industrial ports in Dammam and Jubail with the train network.
Announcing the official launch of the Jubail port projects, Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region, said these are aimed at turning the city into a modern petrochemical hub which boasts ten berths and a storage area.
King Fahad Industrial Port in Jubail is the largest industrial port in the world, handling a diverse range of petrochemical products, as it boasts 34 berths and handles more than a hundred petrochemical products annually, along with agricultural fertilizers, sulfur, and petroleum coke.
The port also serves as the receiving point for factories and giant machinery, with a capacity to handle up to 70 million tonnes.
Prince Saud emphasised the Saudi leadership's commitment to enhancing the national transport and logistics sector in line with Vision 2030's roadmap.
'By launching world-class projects at Jubail's ports, we are not only boosting the Kingdom's foreign trade but also strengthening our global competitive edge," he added.
Jubail Commercial Port, one of the most important commercial ports globally, is equipped with 16 berths fitted with the latest equipment and machinery.
It has an operational capability to handle more than 1,500,000 containers annually, with a capacity of up to 36 million tons, in addition to providing logistical services to oil fields.
Omar Hariri, the President of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), said these projects align with Vision 2030's national strategy for transportation and logistics services, which aims to bolster the kingdom's position as a global logistics centre and a junction for three continents.
"Moreover, these projects are meticulously designed to meet the goals of the National Initiative for Global Supply Chains, through enhancing the Kingdom's role as an indispensable hub and vital link in international supply chains," he added.
