Saudi plans 8 ports in eastern province

Saudi Arabia’s eastern Ahsa province is planning to construct eight new ports and a 230-km-long rail network as part of a new master plan, the province’s mayor has said.

“There are plans to build eight new sea ports and dry ports (inland ports) within the strategic development plan for the province to cope with the expected influx of investment,” Adel Al-Melhem told the Saudi Arabic language daily Al-Watan.

He said two new sea ports would be built in Uqair, 55 miles south of Dhahran, and Ras Abu Kamis near the border with Qatar on the Gulf coast while six dry docks would be constructed along the coast with an area of around five square km each.

Al-Melhem said the plan also includes the construction of a 230-km-long rail network linking the existing rail between the Eastern port of Dammam and the capital Riyadh.

“The province’s secretariat is also studying the feasibility of building a local airport in south Ahsa as well as a regional airport on Uqair coast,” he added.

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