New Bahrain port to boost sector

Bahrain is set to cement its position as a transport hub of the Gulf as the new Khalifa bin Salman Port nears completion.

The newly developed port is set to open for business in December this year and has been dredged to a depth of 15 metres to accommodate any container ship currently in service.

It will have a capacity of 2.5 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), two-thirds the capacity of Great Britain's Felixstowe.

On top of the excellent trans-shipment opportunities within the region to countries such as Kuwait and Iraq, the port will give mother ships direct access into Bahrain from Europe, Asia and North America without having to unload/reload in other ports.

The development builds on Bahrain's already strong ability to trade with countries across the world demonstrated by the Kingdom's Free Trade Agreement with the US.

APM Terminals, the world's second largest terminal operator, will manage operations at the new port.

The logistic industry in Bahrain is already thriving, with the Bahrain Logistics Zone (BLZ) located adjacent to the port and 13km from the airport – offering the shortest logistics transfer time to-and-from sea and air in the Gulf. Bahrain's geographical position – just 40 km away from Saudi Arabia and with excellent links to Qatar and the rest of the Gulf – offers firms that supply oil and gas related equipment excellent market access.

The Causeway between Qatar and Bahrain – construction of which will begin in January 2009 – will further enhance Bahrain's connections to the world's third largest gas reserves.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board said Bahrain has been the main trading post in the region for millennia and that it was enhancing its already strong logistics infrastructure with the developments at the Khalifa bin Salman Port. "In today's market effective supply chain management is a way for firms to differentiate themselves to gain a competitive advantage."