The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) said it has reached a partnership deal with Netherlands-based Port of Rotterdam for collaboration in the areas of smart ports, human capital development, knowledge transfer and performance optimization in support of the kingdom’s economic diversification efforts aimed at creating a state-of-the-art investment and trade hub.

 

The deal will further enhance co-operation between both entities in port corporatisation, a widely-adopted business model based on outsourcing terminal operations to the private sector while keeping the ownership and regulatory aspects in the hands of autonomous government bodies in a bid to upgrade efficiency and productivity, as well as upskilling the sector’s workforce across managerial and scientific disciplines, said a statement from Mawani.

 

The agreement was inked by Mawani President Omar Hariri and Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO Boudewijn Siemons during a special ceremony held at Jeddah Islamic Port.

 

Designed to integrate and leverage the world-class capabilities, expertise, and competitive advantages offered by either party, the latest agreement falls under Mawani’s broader strategy to drive sustainable progress, reliable operations, and purpose-driven innovation within the Kingdom’s maritime sector as part of the ambitions set by Saudi Vision 2030, said the statement.

 

The national maritime regulator had earlier inked a deal with Port of Antwerp International (PAI) to bolster mutual cooperation in the domains of port optimization, digital transformation, and capacity building in line with its objective to strengthen corporate governance, organizational excellence, and sector-wide growth, it added.-TradeArabia News Service