SGP commences upgrade of container terminals at Dammam port
Saudi Global Ports (SGP) has commenced the first phase of its upgrading and development program at the first and second container terminals of King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam (KAPD).
Jacobs Engineering Group has been appointed the civil engineering consultant. President of Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) Omar Hariri and Chairman of SGP Abdulla Zamil were present at the signing ceremony between SGP CEO Edward Tah and Business Development Director of Jacobs Omar Al-Zahrani. SGP aims to leverage Jacobs’ expertise in port design and experience in supervising construction works across Saudi Arabia. The first container terminal that has been in operation for more than 30 years will be upgraded and the second container terminal will be expanded to serve the next generation of mega-vessels.
SGP and Jacobs will focus on incorporating sustainability and minimizing the environmental impact of terminal operations. In addition, smart port designs will be introduced to enhance SGP’s benchmark productivity as well as augment
ing upskill jobs for Saudi nationals. These include allocating an area that will be called “The Sandbox” in order to test new technologies in automation and connectivity. In addition, the new processes will be subsequently deployed across SGP upon successful test bedding.
The signing ceremony coincided with Hariri’s tour of SGP facilities as part of his first visit to KAPD after his appointment as president of Mawani. Under Hariri’s leadership, Mawani aims to pursue ambitious plans to develop port infrastructure. His focus will be on digital transformation designed to enhance integration and connectivity inside and outside the Kingdom in order to compete with the largest and best international ports.
Under Saudi Arabia’s National Strategy for Transport and Logistics unveiled recently by Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman, a strong maritime sector will contribute toward positioning Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub across three continents, which will be a key pillar of support for a thriving economy under Vision 2030.
SGP CEO Tah said: “We are taking progressive steps toward transforming Dammam into a leading international container port equipped with digital and smart capabilities, and continuing to contribute toward Mawani and the Kingdom’s plans for a transformational transport and logistics sector.”