Royal HaskoningDHV hired by Saudi port company to develop logistics park

Saudi Arabia is, as part of its economic diversification strategy, investing in the development of a 634,000 square-meter port logistics zone, the so-called Tusdeer Khumra Logistics Park. Consultancy firm Royal HaskoningDHV has been tasked with providing planning, construction and consulting engineering services for the first phase of the park’s development.

Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Islamic Port (JIP) is strategically located along the east-west shipping lane; the port is the Kingdom’s largest, and supports 70% of the country’s national traffic. One of the firm’s providing logistics services to the port is the Saudi Trade and Export Development Company (TUSDEER). The company, which was founded in 1999, is a logistics zones development company – the firm provides services including Export/Re-Export, Import, Transit, Trans-shipment and Evade Demurrage to the port.

Saudi Arabia has, in recent years, been hit by a considerable decrease in revenues from oil exports. To bolster its economic potential in the long term, the country is undergoing a number of diversification efforts, under its ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ strategy, something which has been a relative boon for consultancy firms.

One of the projects aimed at creating additional revenue streams, is the development of a 634,000 square-meter Tusdeer Khumra Logistics Park (TKLP) in the Al-Khumra district in the south of Jeddah. The private public partnerships seeks to provide a boost to the local economy as well as additional employment opportunities.

Royal HaskoningDHV has been commissioned by TUSDEER to provide master planning, construction documentation and consulting engineering services for the TKLP. The firm will be tasked with developing the first phase of the new development, as well as design, development and utilities solutions for park. The firm will, according to a spokesperson, leverage the latest technologies to provide the port's future users with “smooth and secure operations and reduce end-to-end transit time” for goods entering the Kingdom.

Jan Brouwer, Royal HaskoningDHV’s Director for Transport and Planning in the Middle East, says, “We are very proud to be working with Tusdeer on the master planning and construction planning for the Tusdeer Khumra Logistics Park. Our team has been recognised as one of the major players in providing integrated planning expertise in the Middle East since we started operating in the region in 1965. Our track record in delivering projects for public authorities and private enterprises like Tusdeer illustrates not only the strength and depth of our portfolio here in the Middle East but it also reaffirms our commitment and support to the region in its dynamic development.”

Phil Eiszele from Tusdeer comments, “We have a trusted partner in Royal HaskoningDHV, given their local knowledge and track record in operating here in the Middle East. Their innovative approach to master planning was apparent even in the first sessions where they came with well thought out ideas to improve and optimise the layout of TKLP, thus spurring new ideas to enhance the quality of the park. We look forward to a productive partnership with Royal HaskoningDHV in the development of the Tusdeer Khumra Logistics Park, a site that will be of great importance to Jeddah allowing us to facilitate trade and commercial opportunities with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”