b'32American Journal ofTransportation ajot.comSaudi Arabias Vision 2030 program designed to build global logistics hubSaudiArabiasNationalTransportandLogistics Strategy (NTLS) in investing big into developing the nations logistics infrastructure.By Stuart Todd, AJOTSaudi Arabia(KSA)hasCentersPlan,toboostlocal, madeheadlinesbypumpingregional,andinter-continental billionsofdollarsintogolfconnectivityforinternational and soccer which its detractorstradenetworksandglobal condemn as sports washingsupply chains. The Plan entails aimedatdeflectingattentionthe construction of around 40 from its human rights record. newlogisticscenters,witha Whatisfarlesswell- total area exceeding 100 mil-known is that the oil-rich statelionsquaremeters,compared isalsoinvestingsubstantialtoapproximatelyhalfthat sumsinlogisticsinfrastruc- number currently and up from tureandfreighthandlingjust two in 2020.capacity in order to becomeVision 2030 also encom-not only a regional but globalpassesthedevelopmentof player in the sector as set out(VISIONcontinued onVessels serving two massive trading blocs and regions of high consumption (North America and Europe)are sailing in its Vision 2030 program. page 34) past the front door of KSAs Red Sea ports.s trategiCi nVestMentThe National Transport and LogisticsStrategy(NTLS) makesprovisiontoinvest aroundUS$133billionto enhanceKSAsmulti-modal freight transport and logistics capabilities.Inthemaritimesector, large-scale projects are in the pipelinetoupgradeexisting ports and terminalsand to develop new ports and intro-ducenewtraderoutes.The aim is to more than quadrupleCLOSERthecountrysannualcon-tainer throughput to 40 mil-lion TEU by 2030.Whilethecountrysrail networkistobeexpanded significantly, connecting KSAs RedSeaandArabianGulf ports, while air cargo capac-ity will be doubled to at leastON THE COLUMBIA RIVER IN WASHINGTON STATE4.5 million tonnes. of lastFASTERTowards the end year, Saudi Arabia launched aprojecttotransformthe currentRiyadh Airportinto a massive aviation hub with sixparallelrunways,as well as incorporating a Spe-cialIntegratedLogistics Zone covering three millionDIRECT CONNECTIONS TO MAINLINE RAIL & INTERSTATE HIGHWAYSsquare meters and with roomSMARTERfor expansion.Interviewed by local media atthetime,Transportand LogisticsServicesminister SalehbinNasserAl-Jasser notedthatKSAistargeting 100ofthebiggestglobal companies to build logistical centers for them in this zone.STORAGE OPTIONS & FOREIGN TRADE ZONE SPACEApple is rumored to be oneBETTERof the first multi-nationals to invest in the zone.Anewnationalairline, RiyadhAir,setuptorival Middle East giants Emirates, QatarAirwaysandEtihad, will be based at the revamped airport. ON-DOCK RAIL & DUAL-SERVED BY BNSF & UPV ision2030In August this year, KSAs defactoheadofstate,HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman,(oftencalledMbSCONTACT US AT [email protected] | PORTOFLONGVIEW.COMbytheinternationalpress) unveiledaMasterLogistics'