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Saudi Arabia Develops a Global Integrated Logistics Park

Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce officials signing the agreement (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce officials signing the agreement (Asharq Al-Awsat)
    Jeddah – Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Arabia Develops a Global Integrated Logistics Park

Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce officials signing the agreement (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce officials signing the agreement (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia aims to develop a global integrated logistics park in the al-Khumrah region, west of the Kingdom.

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce signed an agreement to set up a $267.6 million integrated logistics park at al-Khumrah, south of Jeddah, to boost economic development, national investments, and partnership with the private sector.

Two weeks ago, Mawani and Maersk began construction on Saudi Arabia's largest Integrated Logistics Park at Jeddah Islamic Port, with investments amounting to $346.6 million, providing more than 2,500 direct and indirect job opportunities.

The new region directly achieves Mawani's strategic objectives as the main link in the system, in line with the goals of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, by establishing the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub.

The park is also linked to the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), and al-Khumra is one of the pioneering areas targeted for development as a global logistics region.

It aims to increase the optimal utilization of Mawani's assets and achieve diversification by providing more than 10,000 new direct and indirect jobs in the logistics sector through business and investments.

The 3-km logistics park comprises three zones: shared warehouses, medium-sized storage yards and single warehouses, and large storage yards and on-demand warehouses.

The various zones will meet the requirements of importers and exporters of stocking multipurpose cargo, chilled and frozen goods, food commodities, and fragile goods.

The park offers move-in-ready warehouses, storage yards, re-export zones, custom storage, logistics amenities, commercial units, residential units, staff accommodation, state-of-the-art infrastructure like roads and green spaces, and other essential services.

Meanwhile, Cruise Saudi, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), welcomed nearly 9,000 tourists from five European countries to celebrate Saudi Founding Day.

The 8,800 tourists visited key Saudi destinations through three cruise ship calls in Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam.

Tourists were welcomed at the passengers' terminal with Founding Day traditional activities, including cultural gifts, Saudi coffee, dates, and folklore dances, in collaboration with all relevant authorities and local partners.

The tourists, representing different nationalities, namely English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Russian, witnessed and engaged in the vibrant Saudi Founding Day festivities in their various expeditions in both Jeddah and the Eastern Province through Dammam Port.

The activities included a flight to visit AlUla, Saudi's first UNESCO World Heritage site, an enjoyable walk at Jeddah's Waterfront, and a journey back in time through centuries of culture and traditions by visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jeddah Historical District, filled with vibrant artwork, exotic scents, traditional markets, and authentic Hijazi architecture unique to the region.

They could also tour al-Ahsa Oasis, Saudi's third UNESCO World Heritage site accessible via cruising, exploring the Qara Mountain, Princes' School, and al-Qaisariyah Souq.

The ongoing cruising season of Cruise Saudi, from November 2022 until May 2023, is set to welcome over 75 scheduled calls by ships from several global cruise lines sailing the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf.

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Business

Iraq Says Kurdish Authorities Refusing to Let It Send Oil Through Their Pipeline

A truck drives at the Iraq-Iran border crossing of Bashmagh near Sulaimaniyah in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on March 11, 2026. (AFP)
A truck drives at the Iraq-Iran border crossing of Bashmagh near Sulaimaniyah in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on March 11, 2026. (AFP)
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Iraq Says Kurdish Authorities Refusing to Let It Send Oil Through Their Pipeline

A truck drives at the Iraq-Iran border crossing of Bashmagh near Sulaimaniyah in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on March 11, 2026. (AFP)
A truck drives at the Iraq-Iran border crossing of Bashmagh near Sulaimaniyah in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on March 11, 2026. (AFP)

Iraq’s oil ministry said the Kurdistan Regional Government had refused to let it use a pipeline as an alternative route for crude flows disrupted by the Iran conflict, accusing authorities there of putting up irrelevant conditions.

A senior Kurdish government official told Reuters authorities there would be happy for the Iraqi government to use the pipeline, but said Baghdad first needed to lift what he called a "dollar ‌embargo" on the ‌region.

"We want a deal. We ‌want ⁠to help Iraq ⁠and bring relief to the markets, but this embargo must end first," the official said.

Oil production from Iraq's main southern oilfields, where most of its crude is produced and exported, has plunged 70% to just 1.3 million bpd, sources told Reuters on March 8, ⁠as the Iran conflict effectively shut off ‌the vital Strait of ‌Hormuz.

Iraq's oil ministry sent a letter in early March to ‌the Kurdistan Regional Government seeking permission to pump ‌at least 100,000 barrels per day of crude from Kirkuk oilfields through the Kurdistan pipeline network to Türkiye's Ceyhan energy hub, two oil officials told Reuters last week.

The Kurdish official ‌said they had been pressing for an end to what he said was ⁠a bar ⁠on the region's banks accessing dollars for goods imported through its borders and airports.

Kurdish officials say tensions with Baghdad have risen after the federal government moved to implement a new electronic customs system, allowing it to monitor imports and revenues, a step the KRG sees as undermining its autonomy and control over trade.

Iraq's oil ministry said the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Natural Resources had "set a number of conditions unrelated to the issue of crude oil exports."

Business

Over 400 Million Barrels of Emergency Oil Reserves to Flow to Global Markets Soon, IEA Says

A woman holds a fuel pump as she fills her car tank at a gas station in the Manhattan borough of New York City on March 14, 2026. (AFP)
A woman holds a fuel pump as she fills her car tank at a gas station in the Manhattan borough of New York City on March 14, 2026. (AFP)
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Over 400 Million Barrels of Emergency Oil Reserves to Flow to Global Markets Soon, IEA Says

A woman holds a fuel pump as she fills her car tank at a gas station in the Manhattan borough of New York City on March 14, 2026. (AFP)
A woman holds a fuel pump as she fills her car tank at a gas station in the Manhattan borough of New York City on March 14, 2026. (AFP)

Oil from the International Energy Agency emergency reserves will begin flowing to global markets soon, with member countries pledging to make available 411.9 million barrels, ‌the agency ‌said in ‌a ⁠statement on Sunday.

Governments have ⁠committed to make available 271.7 million barrels of oil from government stocks, 116.6 million ⁠barrels from obligated industry ‌stocks ‌and 23.6 million barrels ‌from other sources, the ‌statement said.

It added that 72% of planned releases are in ‌the form of crude oil and 28% ⁠are ⁠oil products.

Stocks from Asia Oceania countries will be available immediately and stocks from Europe and the Americas will be available at the end of March.

Business

Saudi Economy Accelerates as Diversification and Legal Reforms Drive Growth

Quality of life represents a strategic national priority in Saudi Arabia (SPA). 
Quality of life represents a strategic national priority in Saudi Arabia (SPA). 
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Saudi Economy Accelerates as Diversification and Legal Reforms Drive Growth

Quality of life represents a strategic national priority in Saudi Arabia (SPA). 
Quality of life represents a strategic national priority in Saudi Arabia (SPA). 

Saudi Arabia’s economy has undergone nearly a decade of transformation under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as sweeping reforms and diversification efforts reshape the country’s economic landscape.

Since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030 in April 2016, the Kingdom has embarked on its most significant economic shift in decades. The transformation has extended far beyond fiscal adjustments or limited diversification programs, evolving instead into a broad structural reform aimed at reducing reliance on oil and building a more diverse and dynamic economy.

Economic indicators suggest the strategy is gaining traction. Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose from about SAR 2.6 trillion in 2016 to nearly SAR 4.7 trillion in recent years, roughly $1.3 trillion, according to the latest official figures. That represents an average cumulative annual growth rate of about 8 percent, placing the Kingdom among the fastest-growing major economies globally during this period.

The shift reflects Vision 2030’s broader strategy to expand non-oil industries and widen the country’s production base beyond hydrocarbons.

 

Faisal Al-Fadhel, a legal expert in economic legislation and a member of the board of trustees of the Riyadh Economic Forum, said the reforms launched under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have introduced a more diversified and sustainable economic model.

“Saudi Arabia has moved toward reducing its dependence on oil while expanding promising sectors such as tourism, technology, logistics and advanced industries,” Al-Fadhel told Asharq Al-Awsat. “This approach enhances the resilience of the national economy and increases the attractiveness of the Saudi market for both domestic and foreign investors.”

Recent economic indicators support that assessment. Non-oil activities have recorded strong growth, the private sector’s contribution to GDP has expanded, and foreign direct investment inflows have increased. At the same time, Saudi Arabia has improved its standing in global competitiveness indicators, reinforcing its ambitions to become a regional hub for business and investment.

Al-Fadhel noted that the transformation has also been supported by a broad legislative reform agenda designed to modernize the regulatory environment. Key economic and commercial laws — including the Companies Law, Investment Law, and Bankruptcy Law — have been updated, alongside regulations related to corporate governance, investor protection and competition. The reforms aim to improve transparency, regulatory certainty and the efficiency of the investment environment.

Non-Oil Sectors Lead Growth

One of the most visible outcomes of the economic shift is the rising contribution of non-oil sectors, which now account for 56 percent of GDP. Data show that non-oil activities were the primary driver of real economic growth in 2025.

Saudi Arabia ended 2025 with its strongest growth in two years, with GDP expanding 4.5 percent, according to estimates by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The economy grew 5 percent in the fourth quarter, with all major sectors contributing to the expansion compared with 2024.

Labor Market Changes

The Saudi labor market has also seen notable shifts. Unemployment among Saudi nationals has declined, while female participation in the workforce has reached record levels following a series of labor and regulatory reforms.

More than 2.48 million Saudis have joined the private sector in recent years, reflecting the impact of job localization policies. Economic transformation programs have also generated roughly 800,000 new jobs, with strong growth in engineering professions.

Employment opportunities have expanded particularly in tourism, supported by major entertainment and tourism projects, as well as in the pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing industries, where job numbers have doubled.

Investment at the Center

Investment has become a central pillar of the Kingdom’s economic strategy. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has positioned both domestic and foreign investment as key drivers of growth and diversification.

The government established the Ministry of Investment and launched the National Investment Strategy as a comprehensive framework to boost capital formation. Total investment — measured by fixed capital formation — has risen from about SAR 672 billion in 2017 to roughly SAR 1.44 trillion by the end of 2024, more than doubling in less than a decade.

Al-Fadhel emphasized that the private sector is a critical partner in achieving Vision 2030 goals through expanded investment, technological adoption, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Public Investment Fund Expands Role

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) has emerged as a central instrument of the transformation. With assets estimated at SAR 3.47 trillion, it has become one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds.

PIF is leading major investments in tourism, renewable energy, industry, technology and entertainment while launching large-scale development projects designed to create new industries and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a global economic hub.