Al-Batha Port

Al-Batha Port is a land port on the eastern border of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the only port to connect the Kingdom with the United Arab Emirates. It is located in al-Udayd Governorate in the Eastern Province, near the border strip with the United Arab Emirates, which is about 682 km long.

Al-Batha Port is one of fourteen land border ports under the management of the Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Directorate of Passports, the General Directorate of Border Guard, and Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority. These ports link the Kingdom to eight Gulf and Arab countries, which are (Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman, and Yemen).

The volume of trade exchange between the Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates through the port during the period from 2019 to 2021 amounted to 1.3 billion import and export customs declarations between the two countries. The Kingdom's imports from the United Arab Emirates totaled SAR117 billion over three years, while exports amounted to SAR105 billion.

Al-Batha Port is linked to Empty Quarter Port to its south on the Saudi-Omani border via Route No. Ninety-Five. It is a land road traversing the Empty Quarter Desert, spanning approximately 2,218 km. The port to its north connects to Salwa Port, the King Fahd Causeway, and al-Khafji Port via Road No. Ninety-Five, connecting the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

Illustration of the new al-Batha Shipping Port project. (SPA)

Al-Batha Port was developed in 2018 as part of the project by the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority (formerly the General Authority of Customs) aimed at enhancing air and sea ports. The initial stages of operating the gradually developed facilities commenced in the same year. In 2019, a national company was awarded a contract by the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority for the design of the new al-Batha shipping port.

The project is situated on a total area of approximately six hundred thousand m. The design of the new al-Batha Shipping Port aligns with the continuous growth in transit traffic through the port, aiming to achieve the objectives of one of the most significant initiatives of the Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council (SECC) of 'ensuring seamless flow of goods across ports'.

The Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services has implemented the regional road linking al-Jubayl Industrial City and al-Batha Port, which spans 284 km. The road stretches from al-Jubayl Industrial City to al-Batha Port, intersecting with the Dammam/Abu Hadriyah Road, the Dammam/Riyadh Expressway, and the Dhahran/Buqayq/al-Hufuf Road, until reaching the Dhahran/al-Uqayr/Salwa al-Batha Road.