Investments in Saudi Arabia’s supply chain and logistics sector have reached approximately SAR 280 billion ($74.6 billion) since the launch of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser said on Monday.
Speaking at the opening of the seventh Supply Chain and Logistics Conference in Riyadh, Al-Jasser said the strategy, launched by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has raised the contribution of transport and storage activities to 6.2 percent of gross domestic product. He added that air cargo volumes rose 34 percent year on year to 1.2 million tons.
The conference attracted strong participation from policymakers, sector leaders and international stakeholders.
Al-Jasser said Saudi Arabia has entered a new phase in its ambition to rank among the world’s top 10 countries on the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, after jumping 17 places to 38th out of 160 countries.
The minister noted that the number of logistics hubs across the Kingdom has increased by about 30 centers, supporting economic diversification and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s role in global supply chains. He attributed the sector’s progress to leadership support and the goals of Vision 2030.
Saudi Arabia also ranked among the top four emerging markets out of 50 countries in the Agility Logistics Index 2025. Employment in the logistics ecosystem has grown to 651,000 workers, he underlined.
Al-Jasser described the Kingdom as a key pillar in safeguarding global supply chains and a central hub for Arab logistics integration amid ongoing global challenges.
The conference brings together 150 exhibitors and 14,000 participants, highlighting the sector’s importance to trade, tourism, industry and quality of life.
Al-Jasser revealed that Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector is undergoing unprecedented expansion, including airport development, fleet growth and supply chain integration, positioning the Kingdom as a reliable global logistics partner.
The Kingdom has also become a host for major international logistics events. Last year, it staged the inaugural Global Logistics Forum, and next year it will host the second UNCTAD Global Supply Chain Forum, in cooperation with the United Nations and the Saudi Ports Authority.
At the conference, Sulaiman bin Mohammed Al Rubaian, senior vice president of Aramco Procurement and Supply Chain Management at Saudi Aramco, said the company’s Iktva (In-Kingdom Total Value Add) program has contributed about SAR 900 billion ($240 billion) to Saudi GDP over the past decade.
He said the program created more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs, established 350 local manufacturing facilities, and enabled the local production of 47 products manufactured in the Kingdom for the first time.
Al-Jasser also inaugurated the exhibition accompanying the conference, where leading local and international companies showcased logistics technologies and services.
Over two days, the event will witness the signing of 93 agreements and memoranda of understanding worth SAR 19.05 billion ($5.2 billion), supporting the development of new logistics projects across the Kingdom.
