Bahrain logistics Zone launched

The Bahrain logistics Zone has over 475,000 square meters of leasable space for companies that focus on re-export and value-adding logistics activities.

This is a step says Sheikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of the General Organization of Sea Ports, to encompassing Bahrain's vision to becoming an alternative hub in the Gulf to serve vast markets such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, and in the future, Iraq.

"The unprecedented growth that not only the Gulf, but also our close neighbors in the Indian subcontinent and northern Africa are experiencing, places enormous demands on the existing business, transportation, and logistics infrastructure. As a result alternative options become a pre-requisite to sustain the region's growth," he added.

The zone is a customs-free logistics park, regulated by the General Organization of Seaports designed for capacity expansion demands and to provide simplified, streamlined, and efficient multimodal transfer of cargo.

"Bahrain's strategic location that provides easy access to markets totaling over $400bn in imports, the ease to do business in the country, the new KBS port, and its air and land connectivity to the region all come together to make Bahrain an ideal location for an alternative logistics hub in the region" said Hassan Ali AlMajed, Director General of the General Organisation of Sea Ports, Bahrain.

Robert Ziegler, Vice President, A.T. Kearney, a global strategic management consulting firm added that Bahrain appeal stems from its reputation as a liberal and progressive business destination with the largest concentration of financial institutions in the Middle East and well known for its investor friendliness said.

"The opening of the KBS port and the Bahrain Logistics Zone in September 2008 is the stepping stone to transform the vision of making Bahrain a hub for the Gulf into a reality," said Robert.

The BLZ will attract over BHD100m in direct investment, 2,400 direct employment opportunities.

A boutique logistics park in the state-of-the-art Khalifa Bin Salman Port, regulated by Bahrain General Organization of Seaports (GOP), BLZ will have a unique component - an ultra-modern sea port with a capacity of 2.5 million TEUs and world-class customs processes facilitating re-exports throughout Bahrain and the region.

With the causeway linking Bahrain to Saudi Arabia and with another causeway planned to Qatar, the future looks bright for Bahrain.