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RIYADH: Non-oil trade between �������� and Bahrain rose 18 percent to $781 million during the second quarter of this year, compared to a year earlier as more trucks crossed the King Fahd Causeway.
Saudi trade accounted for around half of Bahrain’s total trade with the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, according to the latest figures released by Bahrain’s eGovernment and Information Authority.
Ali Al-Mudaifa, executive director of Bahrain’s Economic Development Board, said: “The King Fahd Causeway was instrumental in the food and medical supply chain during the height of the pandemic in Q2 2020. It will be just as important in supporting continued economic activity and trade between Bahrain and �������� in 2021.
“Bahrain is only a 40-minute drive away from the region’s biggest market, ��������, so the causeway is a major draw for international companies looking to expand into the Gulf. Our Kingdom is also very well connected to the rest of the GCC via multiple daily flights on the national carrier, Gulf Air, and DHL’s regional hub is based at our new airport terminal,” he added.
�������� opened its international borders on May 17. In a bid to manage the surge in demand, ten additional lanes have been installed in the departure area at the King Fahd Causeway, bringing the total number of lanes to 27, as well as 36 lanes in the arrival area.
The waiting time across the causeway has also been reduced. The King Fahd Causeway Authority and Tabadul in March announced it was planning to roll out a new truck management scheme. The pilot scheme is designed to help reduce the waiting time for trucks on the bridge from an average of four hours to just 20 minutes.