MAWANI seeks to increase private sector contribution in ports development to 90% by 2030: CEO

Omar bin Talal Hariri, CEO of MAWANI

Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI) CEO, Omar bin Talal Hariri, said that the private sector plays a key role in the development of the ports sector, as it eyes to increase the contribution to 90% by 2030.

He explained that the most prominent investment opportunities include outsourcing, operating contracts for general freight, rolling, containers, and livestock and passenger transport.

There are other opportunities for investors in a number of operating contracts for marine shipping services and to enhance logistics services inside and outside ports.

In an interview with the Summer 2021 Investment Summary report, Hariri said the authority is increasing port capacity to more than 40 million containers by 2030.

MAWANI aspires to turn its ports into smart ports that are globally competitive, through the adoption of modern technologies, smart solutions, and comprehensive automation procedures. This will mitigate the use paperwork and ensure free flow of data between the relevant authorities.

“We will adopt solutions based on the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence and blockchain to improve transportation, loading and unloading, and marine logistics,” the CEO said.

These measures play an important role in strengthening key sectors such as e-commerce, which in turn, enhance the competitiveness of local products and support supply chains.