Saudi push to diversify its economy

Following the sharp fall in oil prices over the past year, Saudi ArabiaÕs King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud is planning large-scale infrastructure projects to diversify the oil-dependent economy

MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

Suez Canal

EGYPT

Jeddah Islamic Port

SUDAN

ERITREA

JORDAN

Yanbu

King Abdullah Port

Mecca

Al Lith

Red Sea

Jizan

SAUDI ARABIA

IRAQ

KUWAIT

BAHRAIN

Jubail

Dammam

Al Hofuf

Riyadh

Haradh

Saudi Landbridge

Existing railway

Planned railway

YEMEN

300km	200 miles

IRAN

QATAR

The Gulf

UAE

Dubai Jebel Ali Port

OMAN


King Abdullah Port: Long-term plan to create twin-basin facility able to handle 20 million containers per year, putting it on par with DubaiÕs Jebel Ali Port Ð busiest trading hub in Middle East

Jizan: $10 billion scheme to build new port and shipyard, with focus on exporting refined oil products

Yanbu: Port city in process of expansion, set to become key mineral processing hub by 2019

Saudi Landbridge: Aims to transform Saudi rail network, linking commercial west with oil-rich east. Scheduled for completion in 2020, $7 billion project includes refurbishment and laying of over 1,100km of new track

Jeddah Islamic Port: KingdomÕs biggest facility, with 6.5 million container capacity. Expected to be main connecting point for Saudi Landbridge rail project

Al Lith: Plans approved for new facility able to handle giant cargo ships, intended to ease pressure on Jeddah Islamic Port

Sources: Financial Times, wire agencies

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