King Abdullah Economic City, June 2022: H.E. Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser, the Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Member of the Board of Directors of the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority (ECZA), paid a visit to King Abdullah Port on June 15, 2022.

Accompanied by H.E. Mr. Omar Hariri, President of Mawani, Al-Jasser’s visit comes in light of King Abdullah Port’s latest achievement of topping the 2021 Container Ports Performance Index (CPPI).

Al-Jasser and Hariri were received by H.E. Mr. Nabil Khojah, Secretary-General of ECZA; H.E. Mr. Saleh bin Ladin, Chairman of Ports Development Company, owner and operator of King Abdullah Port, and a number of ECZA and the port’s officials.

Minister Al-Jasser began his tour of King Abdullah Port with a visit to the container terminal, progressing to the VIP hall where he met partners in success from both the public and the private sector. While on location, Minister Al-Jasser was given a detailed presentation of the port’s operations and the latest additions to its facilities, as well as ECZA’s regulatory and oversight role within the port. He concluded his visit with a thank you address to the team for the success they achieved.

In a statement, the Minister praised King Abdullah Port’s strategic plans and goals, culminated with its first-place ranking in the world’s Container Port Performance Index.

“The National Transportation and Logistics Strategy is a comprehensive, detailed, all-encompassing plan that will not only turn the Kingdom into a global logistics hub, but one that will transform the national transport and logistics industry,” he said. “King Abdullah Port is a national facility that works hand in hand with other components of the industry to make that happen. The government has successfully completed a great deal of reforms, and we in the maritime transport industry are now reaping the benefits in the shape of remarkable growth and vaunted positions on international indices. We continue to work closely with King Abdullah Port, other Saudi seaports and our valued partners in the industry to achieve the strategy’s goals and enhance Saudi Arabia’s ranking in the Logistics Performance Index that we look forward to by the end of the year.”

In welcoming Al-Jasser on his visit to King Abdullah Port, Khojah underlined ECZA’s role in ensuring strategic integration with Vision 2030, creating the ideal regulatory policies and environment that attracts investment to economic cities and special zones across the Kingdom, complementing the base economy.

Khojah stressed ECZA’s role as a regulatory overseer of King Abdullah Port, commissioned to track its strategic performance and offer highly efficient government services. In collaboration with over 20 other government agencies operating within the port’s confines, Khojah restated that the unified effort embodies what a successful public-private partnership should be.

Bin Ladin thanked Al-Jasser for his visit and thanked the Kingdom for its leadership, stating that, “The great support granted to us effectively brings to life our slogan, Sailing to the Vision, which we revealed the day of King Abdullah Port’s official inauguration, under the patronage and guidance of HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.”

Bin Ladin underlined the integrative role that King Abdullah Port plays in the growth of the national economy and the achievement of the National Transportation and Logistics Strategy’s goals within Vision 2030.

King Abdullah Port is the region’s first port to be owned, developed, and operated by the private sector. The port emerged as one of the world’s top 100 ports within four years of operation. With its strategic location in King Abdullah Economic City – a modern city with a pro-business ecosystem and infrastructure – King Abdullah Port leverages the city’s advanced facilities and services, particularly the Industrial Valley, which has attracted many logistics projects as well as light and medium industries.