Saudi Arabia’s Sharqia Development Authority is set to build an 8 mn sqm regional logistics hub in Dammam Port, dubbed Dammam Regional Logistics Center (RLC), its CEO Omar Alabduallatif told Argaam. No further details regarding the investment ticket or the project’s timeline were disclosed, however Alabduallaif referred to a “rapid implementation.”

Details: The hub will be located near King Abdulaziz Port, King Fahd International Airport, and a network of highways. It is set to include a dry port, a logistics services area, and a direct connection to the nation’s railways, Alabduallatif said. Dammam’s RLC is projected to cover 55% of Dammam’s total logistics activities and will also mediate trade with GCC partners via close links to three major airports and four commercial ports, he added.

The capital of the Eastern Province is well-placed: “Nearly 37% of the Kingdom’s imports come through the Eastern Province’s ports, topped by King Abdulaziz Port with 25%. In addition, King Fahd Airport accounts for 24% of the Kingdom’s total air freight business,” the CEO said.

The larger picture: Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman unveiled last year a master plan for logistics centers to transform the Kingdom into a “global logistics hub.” The plan could see 59 centers across the country spanning a total of 100 mn sqm, with 17 centers earmarked for the Eastern Province.

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