SAUDI PORTS AUTHORITY Al-Khomra to transform KSA into global logistics hub
The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has announced the launch of Al-Khomra Logistics Zone, Saudi Arabia’s largest integrated logistics zone, during its participation in the Saudi Logistics Conference, which took place between Oct. 13 and 15th in Riyadh.
The first phase of the project is set to cover a land area of over 2 million square meters, with over 1 million square meters of gross flat area that will be made available to investors under a lease model.
Al-Khomra seeks to provide an advanced infrastructure and added-value services that will actively contribute toward positioning Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub while raising its competitiveness on investment and services fronts as outlined within Saudi Vision 2030. President of Mawani Saad bin Abdul Aziz Alkhalb described AlKhomra as a major leap for the logistics sector in Saudi Arabia. He said the new logistics zone is expected to open up new investment and business opportunities and promote strategic partnerships with the private sector that will further contribute toward the development of the maritime trade and enhance the quality of operational and logistics procedures and services.
Alkhalb underlined the significance of Al-Khomra Logistics Zone due to its proximity to international trade routes, its strategic location in Jeddah and proximity to the Jeddah Islamic Port, making it a global logistics platform and a major hub connecting the Middle East, Africa and Europe. “Al-Khomra is characterized by its highly efficient road network connecting Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdul Aziz International Airport and the upcoming Saudi Landbridge Project, along other various main roads in the Kingdom,” he added. Al-Khomra’s location along the Red Sea coast, a major passageway for more than 13 percent of global maritime trade, will make it a vital hub on the Silk Road maritime trade route launched within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s strategic location as a hub connecting Middle East with Europe and Africa, alongside its robust economy, will help transform the Kingdom into a pioneering global logistics hub. These factors offer an attractive package for investors interested in capitalizing on the lands owned by Mawani and building partnerships with the authority to develop full-fledged logistics zones, including the newly announced Al-Khomra Logistics Zone. Mawani had launched a strategic plan to optimize the massive potential and capacity of Saudi Arabia’s ports, which outperform the local demand by 50 percent, through offering integrated logistics services, advanced bonded and re-export zones and competitive world-class services to the private sector aiming to facilitate global trade exchange.