Hutchison Ports to operate a mega Saudi Arabian dry port

Hutchison Ports has signed a concession agreement with King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) to operate a dry port in eastern Saudi Arabia. The agreement entails the creation of a joint venture that will be responsible for the logistics operation of SPARK, an energy hub covering 50 square kilometres.

Hutchison Ports will operate the port under its joint venture with SPARK. The joint venture, known as Energy City Logistics Company (ECLC), will be the sole operator in SPARK, providing services such as handling containers, breakbulk and project cargo, as well as customer clearance and warehousing.

The SPARK itself is a mega-industrial hub designed for global energy goods transportation, with an expected worth of 400 million US dollars. The hub is located in Dammam and Al-Ahsa in eastern Saudi Arabia, making it accessible to the railways currently in operation. SPARK is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in 2035, with future potential to transport energy goods via the much anticipated Gulf Railway (GCC) to the nearby Gulf states.