Bahrain launches ‘Global Sea-Air Hub’ to in the region
The Kingdom of Bahrain launched the Gulf’s fastest sea-to-air logistics hub in September with the promise of only a two-hour turnaround time for all containers – meaning that goods can be delivered at twice the speed of pure sea freight and only 40% of the cost of pure air freight.
Designed to capitalise both on Bahrain’s strategic position midway between European and Asian markets, as well as its proximity to regional target markets, the ‘Bahrain Global Sea-Air Hub’ relies on streamlined clearance procedures, optimised logistics and full digitisation to achieve an end-to-end lead time of just under two hours for goods transiting from Bahrain International Airport to Khalifa bin Salman Port, and vice versa.
Bahrain’s sea-air hub will therefore serve as a valuable alternative for manufacturers and freight forwarders, particularly during the ongoing shipping crisis.
Bahrain will grant ‘partner’ status in this initiative to all markets globally which will allow for granting their nationally based companies the opportunity to become an authorized Trusted Shipper at the Bahrain’s Global sea-to-air logistics hub.
Bahrain Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Kamal bin Ahmed said: “The launch of this Global Sea-to-Air logistics hub, the fastest in the Middle East, here in Bahrain is a real opportunity not only for global logistics companies but also for exporters across the world. This service can lead to 40% cost savings compared to air freight only and 50% faster lead times than pure sea freight.”
He added: “We can only do this because of our unique position, the proximity of our ports, as well as our regulators, operators and port authorities working closely together and our state-of-the-art digital processing solution.”
This hub will enable the growth of the Bahrain logistics sector which will contribute to further diversify the Kingdom economy. Bahrain non-oil GDP year-on-year growth reached 7.8% in Q2 in 2021.
The operating cost within the logistics sector is 45% lower in Bahrain compared to neighbouring markets, as per KPMG 2019 report “Cost of Doing Business in Logistics”. This has positioned Bahrain as an attractive destination for global and regional businesses operating within the sector.
