Economic / Under the patronage of the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Mawani signs 7 agreements with national and international companies to establish and expand logistics centers at Jeddah Islamic Port and Al-Khumra Logistics Zone Jeddah, Safar 04, 1448 AH corresponding to July 18, 2026 AD, SPA -- The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) signed a set of contracts with a number of national and international companies to establish and expand (7) logistics centers at Jeddah Islamic Port and Al-Khumra area with investments approaching one billion riyals, under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Authority, Engineer Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, and in the presence of the President of the Authority, Engineer Suleiman bin Khalid Al-Mazrou', and a number of officials. This comes within the Authority's efforts to expand the scope of logistics centers in pivotal locations on the western coast, thereby enhancing the readiness of Saudi ports to accommodate the accelerated growth in trade movement, achieving the targets of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, and consolidating the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub. His Excellency the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services said: "The launch and expansion of these logistics centers reflects the continuous care and support that the transport system receives from the wise leadership - may God preserve them," affirming that the development of Jeddah Islamic Port and Al-Khumra area contributes to achieving the targets of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which placed the transport and logistics sector at the heart of economic transformation, and aims to raise the efficiency of supply chains and enhance the Kingdom's role in the global economy. His Excellency added that the signed contracts will contribute to enabling the private sector, and providing advanced infrastructure that supports the growth of commercial and logistics activities, thereby enhancing the Kingdom's position as a global hub for trade via the Red Sea, and consolidating the role of the Kingdom's ports in serving regional and international trade. For his part, the President of the Saudi Ports Authority explained that the establishment and expansion of these logistics centers represents a strategic step within Mawani's program to develop the port system, enhance its operational readiness to keep pace with the accelerated growth in trade movement, and meet the aspirations of the private sector, pointing out that they will contribute to raising service efficiency, enhancing capacity, in addition to supporting the localization of logistics industries and services, providing a more reliable operations system, and supporting the diversity of commercial activities inside and outside the Kingdom. He stated that this step represents an extension of the transformation of Saudi ports from mere transit stations for goods to pillars of economic growth and investment engines, and a key enabler of trade and logistics services, thereby enhancing the Kingdom's competitiveness and supporting the sector's targets. With the signing of the new contracts, the number of logistics centers in ports rises to (34) logistics centers, including (17) centers at Jeddah Islamic Port, with total investments exceeding (14) billion riyals, reflecting the accelerated expansion in developing advanced infrastructure that supports supply chains and keeps pace with growth in global trade movement. The new centers cover an area exceeding (384,000) square meters allocated for storage, consolidation, and re-export, contributing to creating a smart and advanced logistics environment, directed to providing diverse services and integrated logistics solutions, and providing more than (5,000) direct and indirect job opportunities, in addition to supporting the growth of commercial activities inside and outside the Kingdom, within an advanced logistics system that enhances the ports' ability to serve regional and international trade. The centers will also contribute to linking value chains by creating an integrated logistics system, and storage complexes connecting ports and logistics centers to accelerate distribution movement, as well as facilities dedicated to cargo services that enhance integration and supply chains at national and regional levels. The centers also support the expansion of national and international companies in markets, through integrated logistics solutions supported by digital platforms ensuring broader customer reach, along with integrated operational services that contribute to raising performance quality, speeding up business operations, and enhancing customer experience. The expansion of the global company Maersk's logistics center at Jeddah Islamic Port includes the construction of future containers and yards with an area of (60,000) square meters, with an investment value of (40) million riyals, contributing to the expansion of logistics services and providing more efficient operational solutions for importers and exporters. It is worth noting that the Al-Khumra area is connected to a high-efficiency road network linking Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdulaziz International Airport, in addition to its proximity to the land bridge route and the roads of the Kingdom's main cities, making it a pivot point for transport and services movement, and enhancing its ability to serve regional markets with high efficiency and speed. // End // 15:38 T M 0067