Samel, a joint venture between Schmidt Heilbronn and Agility, a global specialist for bulk business, has selected Bahrain as its base to hub out its logistics operations in the Gulf region.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Dr Wolfgang Hoppmann, CEO of Samel and Hassan Ali Al Majed, director general of the General Organisation of Sea Ports and Bahrain Logistic Zone (BLZ).

Samel and BLZ will work together to set up an economical and efficient solution to store, handle and distribute different bulk materials like polyethylene, polypropylene, catalysts and additives for the chemical and petrochemical industry.

The layout, concept, and the feasibility study will be prepared by Samel according to terms agreed in the memorandum.

“This strategic partnership allows Samel and the BLZ to open the gates for highly specialized logistics in this region, with Bahrain playing an important role as a distribution hub for the GCC,” said Dr Wolfgang Hoppmann, CEO, Samel.

“Ultimately, this will lead to a drastic increase in the number of companies with specialised expertise and operational skills, especially in the bulk market, setting up shop in Bahrain, which will help support Bahrain’s economy in the future.”

Hassan Ali Al Majed, director general of the General Organisation of Sear Ports (GOP) and the BLZ, said: “This partnership represents a key milestone for the BLZ, and will help support Bahrain’s logistics offering and our position as a regional transhipment hub.”

“The BLZ has a truly unique offering that includes competitive rates, world-class services for commercial, import/export and re-export activities, efficient turnaround times and close proximity to the state-of-the-art Khalifa Bin Salman Port, all of which help make it into an ideal destination for companies looking to establish a strong foothold in the GCC.”

“As the Kingdom’s maritime industry regulator, the General Organisation of Sea Ports (GOP) is committed to working together with Samel in order to facilitate the establishment of its operations in the Kingdom. We are confident that both parties will mutually benefit from this partnership to meet the growing demand of specialised logistics across the $1 trillion top-tier markets of the Gulf,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service