Saudi Arabia has announced plans for a new container terminal at King Abdul Aziz Port at Dammam on a build operate transfer.
Mr Naeem ibn Ibrahim Al Naeem port director general of Saudi Arabia said that “Studies have been completed on the new container terminal and tenders will be invited within a few months to implement the project, which is open to Saudi and foreign companies.”
The new facilities will raise the port's handling capacity from 1.5 million TEUs to 3.5 million TEUs and will be complemented by a railway expansion project linking the Kingdom's east and west regions. Development costs for the new terminal have been estimated at some USD 267 million and a contract has been signed for a USD 9 million upgrade of current facilities.
According to Mr Al Naeem, the upgrading works will cover 40% of the port's 39 existing wharves while, the remaining wharves are rented to the private sector.