Saudi Ports signs SR435.96m deals

JEDDAH: Abdul Aziz Al-Tuwaijri, chairman of Saudi Ports Authority (SPA), on Sunday signed two contracts worth SR435.96 million for the expansion of Ras Al-Zour Port in the Eastern Province. Transport Minister Jabara Al-Seraisry attended the signing ceremony.
China Harbor Engineering Company won the first contract valued at SR318.95 million to build two wharfs while Zamil Marine Services won the second contract valued at SR117 million to import two tugboats, two guide boats and boat moorings.
Speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony, Al-Seraisry said the two new wharfs at Ras Al-Zour would be used to handle minerals. There are four other wharfs in the port. He highlighted the remarkable progress achieved by Saudi ports during the past few years.
We have been applying modern facilities for handling of goods and releasing them, the minister said. He thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, for their continuous support to port development projects.
At present we are carrying out a number of new projects valued at SR4.9 billion at Saudi ports. In addition, the private sector has invested about SR5.5 billion for development and operation of ports, the minister told reporters.
During the first nine months of this year, Saudi ports have handled more than 113.17 million tons of goods, registering 7.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year when they handled 105.19 million tons. During the same period, imports rose by 18 percent while the number of containers increased by 22 percent to 3.97 million.
Transshipment containers rose by 46 percent in 2010 reaching 1.27 million containers against 873,225 containers last year.
He said Saudi Ports Authority's revenues during the past nine months amounted to SR2.15 billion against SR2.07 billion in the previous year. He said actual operation of the Red Sea Gateway Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port started in the beginning of this year. Jeddah port has an annual capacity of 1.5 million containers.