Damman concession follows link
Saudi Global Ports (SGP) has gained the concession for a second container terminal at King Abdul Aziz Port, Dammam, in Saudi Arabia.
SPG – a joint venture between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Singapore port operator PSA – will build, operate and transfer the terminal on a 30 year basis.
When the new SGP terminal is fully developed, it will have a quay length of 1,200 metres and 12 quay cranes, with a design capacity of 1.8 million teu per annum. The port is the largest Gulf facility in Saudi Arabia – Saudi’s main port of Jeddah sits on the Red Sea – and the project is seen as key to developing its gateway status.
It has been backed up by the announcement of national projects worth SR405bn (US$107bn), focusing on developing a railway link connecting the port of Damman with Jubail.
This will connect with the Saudi Railway Company’s North-South railway near Ras Azzawr, run 85 km along the coast to Jubail, where it will serve industrial and port facilities, then continue a further 125 km to a junction with the Saudi Railways Organisation network near Dammam.
The concession will be the Fund’s first investment in port infrastructure in Saudi – and it is also PSA’s first port infrastructure project in the region.