AMMAN — Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) CEO Hussein Safadi said on Sunday that the company will float tenders by the end of September for the construction and operation of a new oil port in Aqaba.

 

Safadi said 114 vessels are expected to arrive at Aqaba’s ports by the end of September, highlighting that the figure is “huge” and reflects the growing pressure on the port and logistics system, Al Mamlaka TV reported.

 

He said a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan discussed several strategic issues related to the port and logistics system in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone, focusing on supply chains across the various terminals, including the oil, container, general cargo and vehicle terminals at the old port, as well as the phosphate and industrial ports.

 

“The prime minister stressed the need to prioritise the local market, including the Kingdom’s imports and exports, and develop a strategy to ensure the sustainability of Aqaba’s port and logistics system, while enhancing its regional role and competitiveness at both regional and international levels,” Safadi said.

 

The meeting brought together representatives of the private sector, shipping agents, the Logistics Syndicate and the Customs Department to exchange views on strengthening Aqaba’s role as a regional port hub and ensuring the sustainability of supply chains.

 

Regarding the readiness of Aqaba’s ports to handle potential supply-chain disruptions, Safadi said that Aqaba has recently played a key regional role, particularly in facilitating the movement of goods to Iraq and vehicles and heavy cargo to Saudi Arabia.

 

The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) and ADC have prepared several logistics yards, some of which can accommodate more than 30,000 vehicles at a time, he said.

 

Safadi added that work is underway with Saudi Arabia and Iraq to facilitate the entry of trucks carrying vehicles and prevent congestion, amid expectations that 114 vessels will arrive at Aqaba’s ports by the end of September.

 

The measures include preparing long-stay yards and empty-container yards, in addition to government measures implemented over the past three months to support Aqaba’s port and logistics system.

 

These measures include allowing containers to enter through more than one border crossing to ease pressure on Aqaba’s ports and increasing the number of land transport and truck trips to nine, excluding transit cargo.

 

Trucks have also been allowed to carry more than two 20-foot containers, while measures have been introduced to facilitate the movement of roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) cargo trucks and foreign vehicles arriving at the ports.

 

Safadi said that these measures, together with those implemented by ASEZA and ADC, have helped accommodate the unprecedented increase in cargo volumes handled by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone.