RIYADH: The Kingdom’s seaport activities and logistics sector are set to improve, with the Saudi Ports Authority issuing new licenses in multiple areas of operation. In a press statement, the authority, also known as Mawani, said that issuing these permits aligns with its goal of developing port business in the Kingdom with high efficiency and quality. Mawani revealed that permits have been issued in various areas of operations, including pilotage, maritime support, marine traffic signals, and ship repair and routine maintenance. The statement added that licenses were also issued for container handling and port storage services, and maritime consultancy activities. The issuance of these new permits is part of Mawani’s broader strategy to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub by the end of this decade. Saudi Arabia’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy seeks to increase the sector’s contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product to 10 percent from the current 6 percent by 2030. In the statement, Mawani further revealed that additional licenses were given to activities like bunkering ships in terminals, waste recycling and ship waste management, as well as, hydrographic surveying, and port work training. In January, the authority announced that it established new ship anchorage areas in the Kingdom’s King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu. According to a statement, newly established docking zones will help modernize several port logistical services, including delivering ships with supplies and fuels, said Mawani in a statement. The body also noted that these new anchorage zones will increase the terminal’s operational performance indicators and reduce ship docking times. In December 2023, Mawani garnered 79.01 points in the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s Liner Shipping Connectivity Index for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to 77.66 points issued in the previous three months. Moreover, Saudi Arabia also progressed in container handling, moving from 24th to 16th in the Lloyd’s List One Hundred Ports rankings. Similarly, the Kingdom climbed 17 places in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, securing the 38th position out of 160 countries.