Saudi Arabia to expand railway network by over 50% under transport strategy
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia aims to double the transport and logistics sector's contribution to GDP, expand its railway network by over 50%, and more than double current passenger capacity at its airports, as part of a national drive to transform the Kingdom into a global logistics hub.
Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser revealed the targets during a ministerial session titled 'Shaping the Future of Transport: People, Technology, and Policy' at the Global Aviation and Maritime Transport Summit.
He said the Kingdom is advancing steadily to build an integrated transport ecosystem centered on people and powered by technology and modern policies.
Al-Jasser highlighted ongoing efforts to develop logistics zones and enhance multimodal integration by connecting transport systems with customs and digital infrastructure, improving service efficiency and nationwide coverage.
One key initiative is the integrated logistics zone at Jeddah Islamic Port, directly linked to the main seaport, customs warehouses, and air cargo facilities.He noted that the zone will soon be connected by rail to King Abdulaziz International Airport through the upcoming land bridge project.The unified national digital logistics platform, which links customs, ports, airlines, and freight forwarders, has already cut customs clearance times by more than 30%, streamlining cargo flow across the Kingdom.Launched in mid-2021, the National Transport and Logistics Strategy is a cornerstone of Saudi Vision 2030. It aims to unify the country's multimodal logistics framework and solidify its position as a leading global hub.Concluding his remarks, Al-Jasser stressed that resilience is no longer a strategic option but a necessity for survival in a rapidly changing world.He affirmed that Saudi Arabia is building a fully integrated logistics model that combines infrastructure, policy, and technology to future-proof the sector and strengthen international partnerships.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Argaam
14 minutes ago
- Argaam
Al Yamamah Steel's wind power plant fulfils 46% of market demand: CEO
Sahal Al-Thobaiti, CEO of Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co., said that the annual production capacity of the company's wind power systems factory is estimated at around 50,000 tons of steel towers, equivalent to around 1 gigawatt (GW) of production capacity. This represents nearly 46% of the total wind energy projects expected to be launched in the market in the near future. In an interview with Argaam, Al-Thobaiti said that the total investment in the plant amounts to SAR 240 million. Of this, 70% or SAR 170 million, was secured through a loan from the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, while the remainder came from the company's own resources. The factory is a strategic step aimed to support the Kingdom's move toward renewable energy and is considered the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and the GCC region, specializing in the manufacture of wind steel towers, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to localize industries, the CEO said. Al-Thobaiti also pointed out that the plant serves as a nucleus for localizing the wind power industry, expecting demand to grow moving forward. The Kingdom aims to implement wind energy projects with a capacity of 16 GW by 2030, while the projects currently implemented do not exceed 400 megawatts (MW). On the financial front, the CEO said that the renewable energy sector — specifically wind and solar energy — is likely to contribute between 26% and 30% of Al Yamamah Steel's total revenues in the coming years, adding that this will help diversify income sources and boost annual revenue growth. Al-Thobaiti said the company's total loans stood at around SAR 835 million as of the end of March 2025. He added that the increase in loans was due to the scale of ongoing projects and the need to finance raw materials, expecting short-term loans to decline to SAR 750-780 million by the end of this fiscal year. Al Yamamah Steel's board of directors approved, on Feb. 8, 2021, to begin construction of Al Yamamah Wind Power Systems plant at the cost of SAR 293 million, data compiled by Argaam showed. The company announced, on July 16, the completion of construction work and trial operations at the wind power plant in Yanbu Industrial City. Commercial operations are scheduled to commence on Aug. 1, 2025.
Arab News
44 minutes ago
- Arab News
Qatar to strengthen tourism partnership with Jordan, delegation visits Amman Citadel
LONDON: Saad Al-Kharji, the chairperson of Qatar Tourism, visited the historical site of Amman Citadel, accompanied by the Jordanian minister of tourism and antiquities, Lina Annab, as officials from the two countries met to discuss enhanced cooperation in the tourism sector. The Qatari delegation toured several key landmarks on Wednesday and learned about Jordan's rich cultural history as part of a visit described as an essential step as officials work to develop joint promotional campaigns and share expertise in the marketing of sustainable tourism, the Jordan News Agency reported. The Jordanian ministry said the diverse tourism options in Jordan and Qatar provide the foundations for fostering a partnership that can enrich visitor experiences and attract foreign travelers. Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Jordan reported an 11.9 percent increase in tourism revenues to $3.67 billion during the first half of 2025 compared with the same period last year. This was despite a previously reported decline of more than 75 percent in the number of foreign visitors to Petra, the country's main tourist attraction, in June compared with the same month in recent years due to the ongoing war in Gaza and the conflict between Iran and Israel.
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
First Saudi relief plane arrives in Syria with aid for those affected by fires
RIYADH: The first Saudi relief plane carrying urgent relief aid for those affected by wildfires in Syria's Latakia Governorate has landed at Aleppo International Airport, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. The plane marks the beginning of the Saudi air bridge operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense, SPA said. Supervisor General of KSrelief Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah noted that the humanitarian assistance reflects the spirit of humanitarian solidarity that is characteristic of the Saudi government. Dr. Al-Rabeeah stressed that the Kingdom prioritizes humanitarian work as a core mission stemming from its values and long-standing generosity, and out of its belief that human dignity is a fundamental right for every individual on earth. KSrelief also signed a cooperation agreement on Wednesday with the Syrian Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management to provide essential equipment, supplies, and machinery needed to combat wildfires in the town of Kassab, Latakia Governorate. The agreement aims to enhance rapid and effective response capacity through technical and logistical support for field firefighting teams. Syria's civil defense agency on Sunday said wildfires in the country's west, which have burned vast tracts of forest and farmland and forced evacuations, had been brought under control after 10 days. In a statement on Facebook, the agency said that 'with the spread of the fires halted and the fire hotspots brought under control on all fronts' on Saturday, teams on the ground were working to cool down the affected areas while monitoring any signs of reignition. The blazes in the coastal province of Latakia broke out amid an intense heatwave across the region and the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said they destroyed about 100 square kilometers of forest and farmland.
