The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) signed 7 contracts with national and international companies to establish and expand logistics centers at Jeddah Islamic Port and Al-Khumra Logistics Zone, with investments nearing one billion riyals, under the patronage of the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services and Chairman of the Authority's Board of Directors, Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, and in the presence of the Authority's President, Eng. Sulaiman bin Khalid Al-Mazrou', and a number of officials.

This is part of the Authority's efforts to expand the scope of logistics centers in pivotal locations on the western coast, enhancing the readiness of Saudi ports to accommodate the rapid growth in trade movement, in line with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, and cementing the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub.

The Minister of Transport and Logistics Services said that the launch and expansion of these centers reflects the continuous care and support that the transport system receives from the leadership, stressing that the development of Jeddah Islamic Port and Al-Khumra Zone contributes to achieving the targets of the National Transport Strategy and Vision 2030, which placed the transport and logistics sector at the heart of economic transformation, aiming to improve supply chain efficiency and enhance the Kingdom's role in the global economy.

He added that the signed contracts will contribute to empowering the private sector and providing advanced infrastructure that supports the growth of commercial and logistics activities, thereby enhancing the Kingdom's status as a global trade hub on the Red Sea.

For his part, the President of the Saudi Ports Authority explained that the establishment and expansion of these centers represents a strategic step within Mawani's program to develop the port system and enhance its operational readiness, noting that they will contribute to raising service efficiency and enhancing capacity, in addition to supporting the localization of logistics industries and services.

He stated that this step represents an extension of the transformation of Saudi ports from mere transit stations for goods into pillars of economic growth and investment drivers, enhancing the Kingdom's competitiveness and supporting the sector's targets.

With the signing of the new contracts, the total number of logistics centers in ports rises to 34, including 17 centers in Jeddah Islamic Port alone, with total investments exceeding 14 billion riyals.

The new centers cover an area exceeding 384,000 square meters dedicated to storage, consolidation, and re-export, providing more than 5,000 direct and indirect job opportunities, within a smart logistics system that enhances the ports' ability to serve regional and international trade movement.

The contracts include the expansion of the logistics center of the global company Maersk at Jeddah Islamic Port, through the establishment of containers and yards covering an area of 60,000 square meters with an investment value of 40 million riyals, contributing to expanding logistics services and providing more efficient operational solutions for importers and exporters.

It is noteworthy that Al-Khumra Zone is connected to a high-efficiency road network linking Jeddah Islamic Port with King Abdulaziz International Airport, in addition to its proximity to the land bridge route and the main city roads in the Kingdom, making it a pivotal hub for transport and logistics services.