WNAM REPORT: The Saudi logistics sector, spearheaded by the Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services, is undergoing a remarkable transformation, to solidify the Kingdom’s pivotal role in global trade by harnessing cutting-edge technologies to achieve sustainability and integrate advanced infrastructure and transportation solutions, as per reports.
Assistant Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Ahmed AlHassan highlighted in a recent statement Saudi Arabia’s strategic location as a trade corridor between Asia, Africa, and Europe. Under Vision 2030 and the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, the Kingdom seeks to consolidate its position as a global logistics hub.
The Global Logistics Forum (GLF), hosted by the ministry in Riyadh from October 12 to 14, 2024, under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, will gather over 100 speakers and participants, including industry leaders and government representatives. The forum underscores the Kingdom’s strategic efforts to build and enhance logistics centers that improve connectivity within and beyond its borders. These initiatives have propelled Saudi Arabia 17 places up in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index.
The Kingdom’s ports standings have also advanced; the country has climbed to the 15th place, globally, in annual container handling. Three Saudi ports were mentioned in the Lloyd’s List One Hundred Ports 2024, testament to the country’s growing influence in logistics and support for economic growth.
The civil aviation sector is equally dynamic, highlighted by the Saudia Group’s record-setting purchase of 105 Airbus planes and growing investment opportunities at airports. These developments are establishing new standards for global connectivity and infrastructure.
Investment in the sector is surging, with a 76% increase in new businesses registered in the second quarter of 2024, making logistics the fastest growing sector in the Kingdom.
This momentum marks a new era of leadership and innovation, aligned with national ambitions to redefine global trade and logistics under the ministry’s sustainable and technologically progressive leadership.
This year’s Global Logistics Forum will attract over 10,000 participants from leading global organizations who will address pressing logistics challenges with discussions on sustainability, supply chain resilience, workforce advancement, and technology adoption. The agenda includes keynote speeches, dialogue sessions, and bilateral meetings, all fostering innovative, sustainable visions for the industry’s future.
