Established in 2009, the Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Port (KBSP) in the Northern coast of Bahrain is the premier transhipment hub for Northern Gulf. Strategically positioned in the middle of the Arabian Gulf offering excellent capacity, efficient operations, faster turn-around times and short transit times for vessels.

The port’s location in the heart of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will make Bahrain an ideal choice for carriers’ operating the trans-shipping containers to the famous and rapidly expanding Upper Gulf region, particularly the markets of Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and northern Iran. It is has been built with this Upper Gulf market specifically in mind and will make Bahrain a cost-effective location for carriers to trans-shipment containers in this growing market.

The Khalifa Bin Salman Port (KBSP) is currently operating at 47 per cent of its capacity. The container side is presently designed for around one million tonnes capacity use and ready for further expansion if the need arises. KBSP offers excellent connectivity with the Bahrain Logistics Zone (BLZ), Bahrain International Airport and Bahrain International Investment Park acting as a gateway for shipment based goods to reach in and out of the Bahraini market.

The APM Terminals Bahrain who is currently operating the Khalifa Bin Salman Port are actively working in offering a range of transport and logistical solutions or value-added services to its customers

Features of Khalifa bin Salman Port

• 110 hectares (ha) of reclaimed land
• 1800 Meter long concrete quay wall
• Operating depth 15m capable of handling large vessels
• Container yard has a ground slot capacity of 5,226 TEUs
• 900,000 sq. meter modern container terminal
• 60,000 sq. meter covered space
• A state-of-the-art modern control tower
• Spacious passenger terminal building
• Cutting-edge container terminal building
• In-built plant and quarantine zone
• 24/7 Surveillance
• Gate Access Control
• Mandatory Gate pass
• Initial throughput of 1.1 million 20-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs)
• Container Terminal is designed to have an annual capacity of 1.1 million containers
• A robust regulatory framework that aims to promote business opportunities in the sector

Equipment in the Khalifa bin Salman Port

• Four 61m post-Panamax cranes capable of handling vessels with 18 stack width
• Twelve Rubber Tired Gantry Crane
• Twenty-six Forklifts 2.5-15 MT
• One Top Loader
• 38 Yard trailers
• 28 Terminal tractors
• Two Reach Stackers
• 3 Empty Handlers
• Six Gantry Spreaders
• Two shuttle carriers
• Total of 896 reefer external power points for refrigerated cargo

Facilities in Khalifa bin Salman Port

• Effective supply chain management
• Four warehouses for cargo storage
• Capabilities in handling deep sea vessels
• Non-intrusive inspection coupled with risk-based assessment
• Dedicated online self-service portal
• Cargo stuffing and stripping
• Bonded storage of goods
• The streamlined, modern customs clearance process
• Pre-gate system for containers
• Preventive maintenance programme for equipment
• Excellent accessibility to Bahrain Logistics Zone and Bahrain International Investment Park

Types of Berthing in Khalifa bin Salman Port

• Three 300-metre-long berths for containers
• One 300-metre-long multi-purpose berth for Container/Passenger
• Two 300-metre-long quays for Conventional/Ro-Ro Cargo

Types of Cargo Handled

General Cargo

General cargo include containers (i.e., consumer goods, electronics, spare parts, automobile, clothing etc.), dry bulk goods (i.e., grains, coal, iron ore, cement, salt etc.), break bulk (i.e., paper, steel rolls, large industrial equipment such as turbines etc.), and liquid cargo (i.e., crude oil, fuels, vegetable oils etc.)

Roll-on and Roll-off cargo

Roll-on and Roll-off cargo refer to the shipment that is self-propelled into the vessel such as wheeled cargo including cars, trucks, trailers, semi-trailers, and railroad cars they are driven on and off the ship on their wheels or using a platform vehicle.

Passenger Services

Passenger services in the Khalifa Bin Salman Port include cruise ship calls and local passenger ships.

Advantages of Khalifa bin Salman Port

Khalifa bin Salman port aims to boost trade and attract investments to the transport, shipping and other logistics sub-sectors within the Kingdom of Bahrain, as it is located in an industrial and investment zone which extends up to 247 hectares, that eases the process for foreign expats to incorporate business in this zone. The goal of the zone is to strengthen the international industrial and investment sectors in Bahrain by developing infrastructure to nurture and sustain the zone and improve significant connectivity areas such as the Bahrain International Airport (BIA). A 95-hectare cargo distribution free zone is also located near the port. All these facilities are open to GCC international investors who can benefit from the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed between Bahrain and the US.

Investors will also be able to capitalise on the many advantages that Bahrain offers. It is a major financial centre, has a high-quality telecommunications network, diverse human resources, technical training centres and other services for the development of human resources

The free zone will enable investors to boost their presence quickly in the region as Bahrain International Airport – which is only a few minutes away from the Zone - and the King Fahd Causeway, which links Bahrain to Saudi Arabia, both provide easy access to the regional markets.

The opening of the free zone in the future will coincide with that of Khalifa Bin Salman Port. The government seeks to support the economy by setting up points to store and distribute international products imported or manufactured in the free zone. The zone will have all facilities and infrastructure needed by investors and will also be supported by necessary services.

Furthermore, the Bahraini government encourages investment in all sectors in general and particularly in the logistics and transport sectors, realising the direct impact of the latter on the economy. It strives, therefore, to attract cargo distribution companies into Bahrain. With the Arabian Gulf's economy is undoubtedly growing at a significant rate the businesses are expanding and so are their needs for logistics and freight forwarding activities. The international companies can benefit from a variety of incentives offered which include facilities in all sectors, simplification of registration procedures, tax exemption and foreign capital freedom.

All these measures enable the starting of foreign companies in Bahrain to be based in the zone and take advantage of the strategic location of Bahrain, near the densely populated areas in the Central and Upper Gulf region. If you want to set up your company in the Kingdom of Bahrain feel free to contact us for any more information, with our expert team, we can help you in starting your business according to the local laws and customs.