Manama, Bahrain: 15 February 2012: As part of its strategic plan going forward, and in response to the growing demand for building materials in Kingdom, the General Organisation of Sea Ports (GOP) committed to redeveloping the Kingdom's former main container and general cargo terminal, Mina Salman Port (MSP), and turning it into a dedicated  import and export Building Materials Terminal (BMT) by the beginning of 2012. 

The BMT in MSP saw its first shipment of building materials - 9,836 metric tonnes of coke fuel exported to Mina Saqer in the United Arab Emirates' on January 11th, 2012.  This accomplishment highlights the strategic value of the BMT, and its importance with regards to meeting the Government of Bahrain's directives and national vision, as well as GOP's mission to develop and support the Kingdom's maritime and logistics industries.

The dedicated BMT in MSP will be utilised to manage the export, import and distribution of construction materials from/to the global market.  Further plans to redevelop Mina Salman Port will provide it with the facilities necessary to handle and store building materials.

Commenting on the announcement Hassan Ali Al Majed, Director General GOP, said: "With the redevelopment of Mina Salman Port into a dedicated Building Material Terminal underway, the terminal is now ready to begin receiving, handling, and storing building materials. We took advantage of this readiness and arranged for the first shipment to leave the port in early January, monitoring it closely to ensure the operations were safe and environmentally friendly.  We expect to see the rising demand for building materials gradually plateau as the current availability gap is filled.  Looking forward, we are working to conclude the auction process for selecting a port operator who will manage the operations and the continued redevelopment of the BMT.  This is a key strategic project for both the logistics and the construction industry in Bahrain, providing modern, efficient and competitive services in line with the best international standards."

With mega construction projects on the rise in the Kingdom, the cost of building materials has increased due to the shortage of local supply and production capacity. Currently Bahrain imports its building materials from local neighbouring countries in small vessels or barges. With the development of the bulk building materials terminal, a larger 'organic' market for construction materials is expected to grow and provide the majority of the necessary supply for Bahrain's construction industry.

For regular updates on GOP Bahrain please follow us on our twitter account @GOPBahrain

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About General Organisation of Sea Ports:
The General Organisation of Sea Ports (GOP) was established In September 2006 with a mission to develop Bahrain's maritime industry and infrastructure and regulate its operation in line with the Kingdom's Economic Vision 2030 development strategy. The GOP's overarching responsibility lies in guiding the development of strategies to position Bahrain as a global leader in the maritime industry. 

As a regulator, the GOP is responsible for supervising all maritime safety and environmental matters and ensuring adequate infrastructure is in place to serve the needs of the Kingdom's seaports, including the region's newest state-of-the-art port Khalifa Bin Salman Port. The GOP is also responsible for operating and developing the Bahrain Logistics zone.

Adhering to the highest international quality standards of safety, environment and security, the GOP aims to position the Kingdom as the strategic gateway and trans shipment hub to the northern Gulf.

For more information, please contact:
Sami Amin or Neena Punnen
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Telephone: 532 533 17 973+
Fax: 370 533 17 973+
Email:  Sami.Amin@hkstrategies.com 
Neena.Punnen@hkstrategies.com

© Press Release 2012