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 will develop and operate the new terminal in Dammam’s King Abdul Aziz Port
SPG will develop and operate the new terminal in Dammam’s King Abdul Aziz Port

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.