الجاسر يدشن المسارات اللوجستية من موانئ الساحل الغربي

The Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Ports, Engineer Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, launched the Logistics Corridors Initiative, in the presence of the Governor of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, Engineer Suhail bin Mohammed Abanami, and the Chairman of the General Authority for Ports, Engineer Suleiman bin Khalid Al-Mazrou. This initiative aims to provide dedicated operational corridors to receive containers and goods transferred from the ports of the Eastern Province of the Kingdom and the ports of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to the Islamic Port of Jeddah and the ports of the Kingdom on the Red Sea coast, enhancing the efficiency of supply chains and facilitating the movement of goods between the ports of the Kingdom.

During his field tour, the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services noted the significant support that the transport and logistics system receives from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and the Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He stated that the Kingdom, as a global logistics hub, continues under various circumstances to ensure the stability of supply chains, support regional and global markets, and maintain the smooth flow of goods and materials through international trade routes.

Al-Jasser explained that the Islamic Port of Jeddah and the other ports of the Kingdom on the western coast play a major pivotal role by accommodating shipments and containers transferred from the ports located on the eastern coast of the Kingdom, receiving containers coming from the ports of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and connecting with regional and international markets.

The Minister of Transport and Logistics Services emphasized the high readiness of the transport and logistics system and its wide and diverse capabilities to respond quickly to the requirements of supply chain movements, praising the robustness of the infrastructure and the flexibility of logistics services in the Kingdom, which has enabled it to swiftly deal with current transformations and activate alternative logistics corridors to ensure the continuity of trade and supply chains in the region.

He added that the transport and logistics system, in light of the extensive facilities provided by the wise leadership, operates efficiently and regularly by enhancing the operational capacity of ports, airports, and transport networks, ensuring the stability of supply chains and supporting local and regional markets efficiently and reliably.

An Important Step to Enhance the Integration of Customs and Logistics Procedures

For his part, the Governor of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, Engineer Suhail bin Mohammed Abanami, clarified that the Logistics Corridors Initiative represents an important step to enhance the integration of customs and logistics procedures between the ports of the Kingdom and the ports of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

He pointed out that the Authority is working in coordination with relevant entities to facilitate the movement of goods and expedite customs clearance procedures, supporting the smoothness of supply chains and enhancing the efficiency of regional and international trade movements.

Abanami added that the Authority, through all customs outlets in the Kingdom, provides the transit transport service that enables the transportation of goods across the Kingdom to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries via land, sea, and air outlets, in addition to the services provided by the Authority through deposit areas in various regions of the Kingdom, allowing importers and exporters to store goods with the suspension of fees and taxes, and manage their goods with high flexibility and efficiency before customs clearance or re-exporting them outside the Kingdom, contributing to facilitating trade movement and accelerating supply chain operations, and enhancing the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub.

He confirmed that these efforts reflect the role that the Kingdom plays in supporting the integration of supply chains and enhancing the smooth flow of international trade, solidifying its position as a logistical hub that contributes to facilitating the flow of goods and serving trade movements between countries.

For his part, the Chairman of the General Authority for Ports, Engineer Suleiman bin Khalid Al-Mazrou, stated that these corridors are the result of the support of inspiring leadership and integration with the government sector and partnership with the private sector to ensure the continuity of supply chain movements and enhance the smooth flow of goods, affirming that Saudi ports possess advanced operational capabilities and integrated infrastructure that have enabled them to accommodate transformations in trade movements and receive containers and transferred goods with high efficiency, especially through the ports on the western coast, led by the Islamic Port of Jeddah, reflecting the readiness of Saudi ports, their capacity, and their operational efficiency in supporting regional and international trade.

During his tour of the port, the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services chaired a meeting at the control and command center at the Islamic Port of Jeddah, where he listened to a briefing on handling operations, ship and vessel movements, and loading and unloading operations. Following that, he conducted a field tour during which he inspected the container terminals and logistics areas in the port and re-export centers. At the end of the tour, he met with the port workers, appreciating their efforts and highlighting the significant cooperation and fruitful coordination with all entities in the public and private sectors to achieve the directives of the wise leadership in this vital sector.

It is worth noting that the Islamic Port of Jeddah is considered the largest pivotal port on the Red Sea and one of the most important logistics centers in the region. The ports of the Kingdom on the Red Sea coast have a capacity exceeding 18.6 million standard containers annually, enhancing their ability to support international trade movements and accommodate transformations in global supply chain routes.