Saudi Arabia has offered the largest integrated logistics zone for the private sector to invest in, Saudi Minister of Transportation said on Sunday.
Minister Nabil al-Amoudi said the platform will be in the al-Khomra area in Jeddah (west) as part of a vital step to boost cooperation between the transportation and logistics systems in the Kingdom.
During the opening of the Saudi Logistics Conference in Riyadh, Amoudi said the zone could provide up to 10,000 job opportunities.
He said the volume of investment in the sector is estimated at SAR70 billion ($18.6 billion) over the past decades and through the public and private sectors, including infrastructure, automation, lands, warehouses, etc.
Amoudi also pointed to launching new projects under the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, as an integrated program between industry mainly and mining, logistics, and energy.
“Currently, the focus is on upgrading services, efficiency, and automation, which has accelerated the movement of goods and travelers and had a positive impact on the competitiveness index,” he explained.
Khomra Logistics project will provide an added-value to the maritime transport and logistics sector in the Kingdom and the region.
Amoudi highlighted the achievements in the Kingdom’s transport system through the findings of the 2019’s Global Competitiveness Report, in which the Kingdom has received a new ranking.
“We launched the Khomra logistics zone near Jeddah Islamic Port, and two months ago we launched the integrated zone at King Khalid International Airport,” Amoudi said.
According to the Transportation Minister, the Global Competitiveness Report showed that Saudi Arabia has advanced in the transport infrastructure index from the 40th to 34th place, as well as the efficiency of train services index from 50th to 26th place this year.
He said all these results were achieved due to the hard work in the transport system and in cooperation with government agencies and the private sector.
The target was to provide a suitable climate and overcome all difficulties to create promising growth opportunities in the logistics sector, he added, stressing the continued work with all government agencies to boost the Kingdom’s status to become an international hub connecting three continents.
