Mawani (ports in Arabic) plans to increase productivity and competitiveness of Kingdom’s ports
The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), as part of a ‘qualitative leap’ in its management methods and operational performance, has announced plans to increase the productivity and competitiveness of the Kingdom’s ports.
The plan calls for a substantial reduction of container waiting times by next year.
Addressing the recent 2nd Saudi Maritime Congress in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Saad Bin Abdulaziz AlKhalb, President, Mawani, announced that containers’ length of stay at the ports will be reduced to three days by 2020 while the volume of container handling will be more than doubled by 2030.
“What’s more, the share of Saudi ports handling transshipment containers will be increased, the production capacity within the terminals will be optimized, and new horizons will be opened for promising investment and commercial partnerships,” AlKhalb added in remarks carried by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Kingdom’s Vision 2030
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 roadmap to a more diversified economy in the future includes development plans to reduce average customs times across all Saudi ports from 14 days to 24 hours.
The Congress offered key insights into the booming shipping and logistics sector in light of the major transformation initiatives launched by the Saudi Government in line with Saudi Vision 2030. The logistics sector is one of the key economic pillars for further economic diversification in the Kingdom and is expected to be worth US$ $18 billion.
Delivering the keynote address at the conference, Dr. Nabil Al Amoudi, the Saudi Minister of Transport, highlighted the importance of the show, the Kingdom’s growing economy and the aim of Vision 2030 to drive sustainable growth and development in the country.
“The Kingdom has provided a pioneering model in the development of the maritime sector, accompanied by the unlimited support and unprecedented attention of our wise leadership, which translates to a quality-focused shift in facilities, operational and logistical mechanisms, to position Saudi ports among the ranks of the most important regional ports and an ideal destination for major global shipping lines,” Dr. Al Amoudi remarked.
PPP (Public-Private partnership) Model
“We seek to continue fruitful cooperation with the public and private sectors to promote this vital sector, successfully connect bridges to three continents and make the Kingdom a global logistics center,” he continued.
Alkhalb praised government efforts as well as the public sector’s strategic partnership with the private sector to realize the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. The goal is to optimise the Kingdom’s geographical advantages and transform it into a global logistics platform that links three continents.
The intended result is to make the Kingdom a major centre for international trade by upgrading its services, efficiency, operational and logistic capabilities, and developing its infrastructure, in addition to finding and training qualified national cadres, to enhance its important developmental, economic and trade roles.
AlKhalb indicated that the nine ports supervised by Mawani are currently reaping the benefits of services and initiatives launched recently. The ports’ total container deliveries since the beginning of this year through the end of February 2019, amounted to more than 44 million tons, an increase of 10.19% over the same period in 2018, while the total number of inbound and outbound containers during the same period was 1,131,959, an increase of 6.18% over the corresponding period last year.
Mawani monitored ports
The ports are Jeddah Islamic Port; King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam; King Fahad Industrial Port in Yanbu; King Fahad Industrial Port in Jubail; Jubail Commercial Port; Yanbu Commercial Port; Jizan Port; Dhiba Port located at the North end of the Red Sea coast and Ras Al-Khair Port located 60km North of Jubail on the Eastern Arabian Gulf coast.
Chris Hayman, Chairman, Seatrade, the conference organiser, recalled the debut Saudi Maritime Conference that was held in Dammam in Eastern Saudi Arabia in 2014, saying that the message then was clear: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to the major development of its maritime and logistics sector.
“Four years on, that forecast has been overwhelmingly fulfilled in the Saudi Vision 2030 programme. The world is watching with admiration the unfolding of a strategy that will position the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a global hub, delivering connectivity between Asia, Europe and Africa,” he said.
“In 2014, there were 17 countries represented at this event. This year we have 36 countries, the exhibition booth area has doubled in size, and we are expecting more than twice as many attendees,” he added.
