King Abdullah Port, the first privately-owned commercial port in Saudi Arabia, announced the arrival of its first liquid bulk shipments of fresh pasteurised milk for Almarai, the largest dairy company in the region.
The milk shipment, which arrived from the Port of Moerdijk in Netherlands and weighs 265 tonnes, is the first of its kind to dock at Saudi ports, constituting a quantum leap for King Abdullah Port and for Saudi imports in general, said a statement from Ports Development Company, the owner and developer of the port.
Abdullah M. Hameedadin, the managing director of the Ports Development Company, said: “King Abdullah Port continues to achieve milestones that are fully in line with Vision 2030s mandate to activate the role of the private sector in creating a more diverse, less oil-dependent economy. Such an economy would enhance the Kingdoms global competitiveness and elevate its status among developed countries in economic and logistical fields, not to mention in the maritime transport sector, as well.”
This comes following the company’s plan to expand the ports partnership with Almarai, which signed a contract with the port for loading, unloading, and handling of its bulk cargo. The arrival of this shipment is particularly important as Almarai is one of the most prominent investors in King Abdullah Economic Citys Industrial Valley, said Hameedadin.
He also added that the new milk shipment follows King Abdullah Ports earlier success in receiving huge loads of equipment, weighing over 20 tonnes each, for the Rabigh 2 Independent Power Plant,, and through the ports strategic partnership with Samsung.
The port has been listed as one of the worlds largest maritime shipping lanes, and its development plan is proceeding at a steady pace and with a clear vision towards becoming one of the worlds leading ports, concluded Hameedadin.
Strategically located on the Red Sea coast on one of the worlds busiest maritime shipping lanes, King Abdullah Port has direct access to extensive transportation networks and urban centres. The port is characterised by its strategic geographic location and its integrated services using latest technology and utilising local and international experts.