Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Services shared ambitious plans to significantly boost the Kingdom’s transport and logistics sector’s contribution to GDP. The strategy includes expanding the railway network by over 50% and more than doubling the passenger capacity at airports.
Minister Saleh Al-Jasser announced these targets during the “Shaping the Future of Transport: People, Technology, and Policy” session at the Global Aviation and Maritime Transport Summit. He emphasized the nation’s progress toward creating an integrated transport ecosystem driven by technology, modern policies, and a focus on people. Key initiatives include developing logistics zones and enhancing multimodal connectivity by integrating transport systems with customs and digital infrastructure to improve efficiency and coverage nationwide.
A notable project is the integrated logistics zone at Jeddah Islamic Port, which will soon connect via rail to King Abdulaziz International Airport through an upcoming land bridge. Since its launch in mid-2021, the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, part of Saudi Vision 2030, aims to unify the country’s multimodal logistics framework and position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub. This includes a digital platform linking customs, ports, airlines, and freight companies, which has already reduced customs clearance times by over 30%.
Minister Al-Jasser highlighted that Saudi Arabia is developing a comprehensive logistics model that combines infrastructure, policy, and technology to future-proof the sector and strengthen international collaborations.
Source: Arabian Business
