Hutchison Ports reenters Saudi Arabia

Hong Kong port operator Hutchison Ports is reentering Saudi Arabia, winning a concession to develop and operate a multipurpose port in Jazan City on the Red Sea in the far southwest of the country near the border with Yemen. The Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries (JCPDI) Port will be developed in two phases with a depth alongside of 16.5 m. The port will consist of a container terminal and a general cargo and dry-bulk terminal.

Commercial operations of Phase I will launch this year starting with the general cargo and dry bulk terminal. Phase I of the container terminal is expected to start commercial operations in early 2022.

Eric Ip, group managing director of Hutchison Ports, commented: “Marking a new chapter for us, JCPDI Port is located at the crossroads of the one of the busiest east-west trade lanes and the rapidly growing north-south trade lanes.”

Hutchison Ports had terminals previously at Dammam in the Middle Eastern kingdom.