Saudi Global Ports (SGP), a joint-venture company formed between the Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and PSA International (PSA) has started its commercial operations this month, PSA said.
This began at the second container terminal in the King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam, a key gateway port on the Arabian Gulf.
On April 23, the company handled the first commercial vessel, M/V NIARA, owned by Orient Express Line. For this, 1,011 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) were handled on this 2,000-TEU capacity vessel.
Phase one of the facility has a 700m long quay with a water depth of 16m alongside and equipped with six 23-wide quayside gantry cranes.
The SGP terminal has also handled its first commercial vessel on 23 April, Niara, owned by Dubai-headquartered Orient Express Line. At the time, the terminal handled 1,011 teu on this 2,000 teu capacity vessel.
Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Mufadhi, secretary general of the PIF, deemed that the opening of the second container terminal in Damman as "strategically significant" for the development of the country's economy.
"The completion and start-up of PSA's first container terminal in Dammam testifies said Tan Chong Meng, group CEO of PSA, highlighting the importance of the gateway port that helps to grow regional trade and business activities.