Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s National Shipping Company (Bahri) signed an agreement to establish an equally owned joint venture (JV), the National Grain Company, with the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC), at an estimated cost of SR412.5 million ($110 million) in a ceremony presided over by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli.

The JV seeks to build and establish a terminal for handling grains at Yanbu Commercial Port, aiming to meet the future needs of the Kingdom for major crops and cereals, the shipping major said in a statement.

This partnership also aims to oversee the trade, handling, and storage of grains between its sources in all regions of the Black Sea, Europe, South America, and the Red Sea region, contributing to the process of import, transportation, distribution, and storage.

The project will start with a capacity of about 3 million tons per year by the year 2022, to gradually increase to 5 million tons per year. The new terminal, which will be built according to the highest international standards, will enable the rapid handling of grains and fodder.

The project will start with an annual production capacity of nearly 3 million tons by 2022, eventually increasing to 5 million tons a year. The new terminal, which will be constructed to the highest international standards, will allow for the rapid handling of grains and fodder, by making the logistics services of the terminal available to all importers for the benefit of both the private and public sectors.

Commenting on the occasion, Al-Fadhli, who is also the chairman of SALIC, said: “We are delighted with this partnership, which aligns with SALIC’s strategy to contribute to achieving food security in the Kingdom, as part of the Vision 2030 objectives.

The project will also aid with the provision of basic food products and price stability in the Kingdom, which is tied to global production and consumption rates, the movement of commercial shipping, and global stocks of basic food commodities.

The minister added: “We are confident that this company will play a major role in strengthening supply chains in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as it will lead to the building of the largest regional center for grains.

The new terminal will enhance food distribution solutions in the region by importing, processing, exporting, and storing grains to the Kingdom, thanks in part to the strategic location of Yanbu Commercial Port, a key maritime gateway to receive the Kingdom’s imports of strategic goods. This project also reflects SALIC’s strategic objectives to achieve more than 50 percent of the import coverage rate for all commodities identified as strategic goods, in line with the Kingdom’s food security strategy.”

Mohammed Al-Sarhan, the chairman of Bahri, said: “Our work at Bahri balances demand and supply, harnessing big data to efficiently manage and streamline our fleet operations. Today, we are seizing new expansion opportunities in cooperation with economic entities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to diversify our offerings and provide value-added services, in addition to the development of our main business sectors."

"Over the years, we have made great efforts to contribute to national food security by transporting nearly 1.5 million tons of grains annually to the Kingdom through our fleet of five dry-bulk carriers. With the addition of four new carriers before the end of this year, Bahri will be able to transport 5 million tons of dry food and various grains, including barley, corn, wheat, soy, and others, annually, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Al-Sarhan added: “We are pleased to achieve one of our largest regional-level strategic initiatives. Our joint venture with SALIC will link the Kingdom to global grain sources, further contributing to the goals of Vision 2030 to make our nation an international logistics hub, connecting three continents. The Yanbu Commercial Port, overlooking the Red Sea, was chosen as the strategic location following a lease agreement between SALIC and the Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI), reflecting the Kingdom’s objectives to maintain water security and limit the cultivation of fodder that consumes water in large quantities.”

The Yanbu Commercial Port is the perfect maritime gateway for a grain handling terminal of this size and capacity, as most imported grains come from countries along the Black Sea, South America, and parts of North America. New shipments coming from Australia to the Red Sea will also find the terminal beneficial, thanks to its modern offloading, handling, and storage technologies.