08 July 2014
RIYADH -- The volume of containers at Riyadh Dry Port is expected to double with a new port - PSA King Abdul Aziz Sea Port Terminal 2 - coming up in Dammam, said Sheikh Bader Al Suweidan, President & CEO of BAAS International Group (BIG).
After two years of operations at Riyadh Dry Port, BIG plans for a bigger and better future, Al Suweidan said, adding: "My goal will be to make a sizable difference to the growth of Riyadh Dry Port thereby contributing to the overall economy of Riyadh Central Province and to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."
The future plans include the whole yard to be reconstructed and newer equipment like RTG's Rubber Tired Gantry Cranes and Terminal Tractors (TT) to be commissioned to facilitate the growth. A new export section at Riyadh Dry Port will facilitate traders and exporters in Riyadh to export products.
Sustaining the current growth while handling all key new developments will be a major challenge for Riyadh Dry Port and for shipping and logistics industry. BIG has played a supportive yet a key role in developing the economy of Riyadh by providing excellent customer service and ensuring on-time delivery of containers to all the businesses driving trade and commerce of Central Province of Riyadh. This has helped propel container cargo flow in Saudi Arabia to be the second largest in Middle East.
In a global village, all parties engaging in businesses contribute toward building a healthy global economy. The shipping Industry plays a vital role and is a potent force engaging more than 70 percent of the world's economy. In Middle East, Saudi Arabia is at a strategic location and is well connected with both Europe on one side and Asia-Pacific on the other. Riyadh, the capital city, is home to many constructions, industrial, manufacturing, agricultural financial companies in the world.
A desire to place Riyadh Dry Port on the global map is what propelled BIG to bid and win the project to run, maintain and upgrade Riyadh Dry Port under the authority of Saudi Railways Organization, Al Suweidan further said.
Riyadh Dry Port became operational in 1982 under the backing of Saudi Railways Organization with a vision to develop and improve commerce and trade in the central region. BIG provides a smooth and seamless means of transporting containers from King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam to its consignees in Riyadh. This also includes developing the dry port to international standards and to provide uninterrupted services to all shipping lines, agents, brokers and consignees.
Under BIG, the Riyadh Dry Port has witnessed huge transformational changes in all aspects of running the dry port. Saudi Railways Organization runs freight trains from Dammam to Riyadh transporting containers back and forth. BIG handles the container movements in the port including logistics and transport of empty containers back to the respective shipping lines.
"In a relatively short span of time, we at BIG have been able to make tremendous progress in upgrading Riyadh Dry Port both in operations as well as in other spheres of its supporting functions. At the first instance we implemented navis - world's leading terminal operating system to run the operations," Al Suweidan said, adding, N4 2.3 along with XPS was implemented and the software went live on March 2013.
"As a result most of the operational activities were automated and in May 2013 a record of 26,000 containers were delivered in tandem with custom inspection and billing processes. To support its billing, financial and HR departments SAP was also implemented at Riyadh Dry Port, which now has the unique distinction of being the 1st Port in the Kingdom to Implement and Go Live with Navis N4 2.3 and SAP," he noted.
In May 2014 Riyadh Dry Port handled 30,749 TEUs. No other operator has ever achieved this figure in the past 32 years except Baas Ports Services. And, on June 5, the dry port achieved a new record of delivering 987 containers in a single day. This is the highest rate of delivery ever since 1982 when the port started.
BIG purchased new equipment - 6 New Straddle Carriers and 9 New Reach Stackers - to facilitate faster movement of containers inside the port. All these equipment were fitted with mobile computers and Vehicle Mounted Terminals to record movements of containers inside the yard. BIG also has the unique distinction of starting a new website www.riyadhdryport.com. Container tracking feature is available on the site. Consignees, shipping lines, agents and brokers can now check for the latest position of the container in the website.
Riyadh Dry Port has the shortest dwell time among all other ports in KSA. It takes an average of 5-7 days for the containers to be delivered to the consignee. Less dwell time is proportional to more number of containers being delivered. Hence, the volume of inflow containers increases two fold. The truck turn around time at RDP is only 11-13 minutes.
"BIG is committed to helping business communities all over Riyadh in increasing their output/production by faster delivery of containers. BIG has started its own trucking company BAAS Express to facilitate the delivery of containers via BIG trucks to its consignees. Consignees no longer have to wait for the trucking companies to delivery their containers at their own will and time," Al Suweidan said.
Riyadh Dry Port is the only dry port in KSA to handle around 500,000 TEU's annually in 2013 an 18 percent growth as compared to 2012 and previous years. BAAS Ports services will set a new bench mark for all dry ports in Middle East and it aims to handle around 600,000 TEUs in 2014.
RIYADH -- The volume of containers at Riyadh Dry Port is expected to double with a new port - PSA King Abdul Aziz Sea Port Terminal 2 - coming up in Dammam, said Sheikh Bader Al Suweidan, President & CEO of BAAS International Group (BIG).
After two years of operations at Riyadh Dry Port, BIG plans for a bigger and better future, Al Suweidan said, adding: "My goal will be to make a sizable difference to the growth of Riyadh Dry Port thereby contributing to the overall economy of Riyadh Central Province and to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."
The future plans include the whole yard to be reconstructed and newer equipment like RTG's Rubber Tired Gantry Cranes and Terminal Tractors (TT) to be commissioned to facilitate the growth. A new export section at Riyadh Dry Port will facilitate traders and exporters in Riyadh to export products.
Sustaining the current growth while handling all key new developments will be a major challenge for Riyadh Dry Port and for shipping and logistics industry. BIG has played a supportive yet a key role in developing the economy of Riyadh by providing excellent customer service and ensuring on-time delivery of containers to all the businesses driving trade and commerce of Central Province of Riyadh. This has helped propel container cargo flow in Saudi Arabia to be the second largest in Middle East.
In a global village, all parties engaging in businesses contribute toward building a healthy global economy. The shipping Industry plays a vital role and is a potent force engaging more than 70 percent of the world's economy. In Middle East, Saudi Arabia is at a strategic location and is well connected with both Europe on one side and Asia-Pacific on the other. Riyadh, the capital city, is home to many constructions, industrial, manufacturing, agricultural financial companies in the world.
A desire to place Riyadh Dry Port on the global map is what propelled BIG to bid and win the project to run, maintain and upgrade Riyadh Dry Port under the authority of Saudi Railways Organization, Al Suweidan further said.
Riyadh Dry Port became operational in 1982 under the backing of Saudi Railways Organization with a vision to develop and improve commerce and trade in the central region. BIG provides a smooth and seamless means of transporting containers from King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam to its consignees in Riyadh. This also includes developing the dry port to international standards and to provide uninterrupted services to all shipping lines, agents, brokers and consignees.
Under BIG, the Riyadh Dry Port has witnessed huge transformational changes in all aspects of running the dry port. Saudi Railways Organization runs freight trains from Dammam to Riyadh transporting containers back and forth. BIG handles the container movements in the port including logistics and transport of empty containers back to the respective shipping lines.
"In a relatively short span of time, we at BIG have been able to make tremendous progress in upgrading Riyadh Dry Port both in operations as well as in other spheres of its supporting functions. At the first instance we implemented navis - world's leading terminal operating system to run the operations," Al Suweidan said, adding, N4 2.3 along with XPS was implemented and the software went live on March 2013.
"As a result most of the operational activities were automated and in May 2013 a record of 26,000 containers were delivered in tandem with custom inspection and billing processes. To support its billing, financial and HR departments SAP was also implemented at Riyadh Dry Port, which now has the unique distinction of being the 1st Port in the Kingdom to Implement and Go Live with Navis N4 2.3 and SAP," he noted.
In May 2014 Riyadh Dry Port handled 30,749 TEUs. No other operator has ever achieved this figure in the past 32 years except Baas Ports Services. And, on June 5, the dry port achieved a new record of delivering 987 containers in a single day. This is the highest rate of delivery ever since 1982 when the port started.
BIG purchased new equipment - 6 New Straddle Carriers and 9 New Reach Stackers - to facilitate faster movement of containers inside the port. All these equipment were fitted with mobile computers and Vehicle Mounted Terminals to record movements of containers inside the yard. BIG also has the unique distinction of starting a new website www.riyadhdryport.com. Container tracking feature is available on the site. Consignees, shipping lines, agents and brokers can now check for the latest position of the container in the website.
Riyadh Dry Port has the shortest dwell time among all other ports in KSA. It takes an average of 5-7 days for the containers to be delivered to the consignee. Less dwell time is proportional to more number of containers being delivered. Hence, the volume of inflow containers increases two fold. The truck turn around time at RDP is only 11-13 minutes.
"BIG is committed to helping business communities all over Riyadh in increasing their output/production by faster delivery of containers. BIG has started its own trucking company BAAS Express to facilitate the delivery of containers via BIG trucks to its consignees. Consignees no longer have to wait for the trucking companies to delivery their containers at their own will and time," Al Suweidan said.
Riyadh Dry Port is the only dry port in KSA to handle around 500,000 TEU's annually in 2013 an 18 percent growth as compared to 2012 and previous years. BAAS Ports services will set a new bench mark for all dry ports in Middle East and it aims to handle around 600,000 TEUs in 2014.
© The Saudi Gazette 2014
