A Maritime Vision for a Future National Industry
The sea has always been the lifeblood of the Arabian Gulf region, from pearl diving to fishing, and later to hosting oil platforms that transformed the region’s economy.Within the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030, the birth of the “King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries and Services” represents a new milestone, strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a leading global industrial and logistics center.
The project spans a vast area of 11.25 million square meters and represents a major step forward in supporting the maritime industries sector, enhancing the Kingdom’s geographical position overlooking the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, through which 6% of global maritime traffic passes.
King Salman Complex: Record Numbers and Massive Efforts on the Ground
Behind this achievement lies a tremendous amount of hard work. 35 million cubic meters of land were dredged and reclaimed, 7.4 million square meters of soil were rehabilitated, and 12 km of seawalls were built using 6 million tons of rock.
A 23-km-long marine canal was constructed, and a wharf was built using more than 15,000 concrete blocks, each weighing 70 tons.
The project was not just about constructing facilities; it was an exceptional training opportunity for young Saudi engineers who tackled unprecedented engineering challenges, including the construction of a 14-meter-deep temporary dam and the drainage of 4 million cubic meters of water to prepare the dry docks.
Strategic Partnerships and Grand Economic Ambitions
The King Salman International Complex is not just a massive engineering project; it is an integrated industrial platform supporting companies specializing in shipbuilding, offshore platform manufacturing, and rig maintenance.
Under the guidance of Saudi Aramco, the project is proceeding according to a meticulous plan that includes three major implementation packages: dredging and backfilling, production facilities, and residential and administrative areas.
The International Maritime Industries Company, the project’s strategic partner, confirms that it seeks to build the largest fully-integrated marine dock in the Middle East and North Africa, supporting the goals of Vision 2030 and increasing the industrial sector’s contribution to the GDP.
King Salman Complex: Environmental Innovation and Safety at Global Standards
The project also stands out for its high environmental commitment. It won the Saudi Green Initiative 2023 award for its use of an environmentally friendly cement mix (pozzolan), its reduced carbon footprint, and the establishment of an independent control and monitoring center for safety and security.
A Saudi Success Story by National Hands
The King Salman International Complex was not merely an infrastructure development, but rather a future-oriented industry built from scratch. Saudi teams were able to install 250 km of pipelines, establish ready-mix concrete factories on-site, and transport 6 million tons of rock from remote areas via 120,000 trips.
The complex’s lifting capabilities reached world-class levels thanks to one of the largest cranes in the world, with a lifting capacity of up to 1,600 tons, enabling the complex to implement the largest offshore projects.
Conclusion
The King Salman Global Complex is not just an engineering achievement; it is a transformational milestone for an entire industry based on Saudi ambitions that know no impossible.
With every stone laid, the Kingdom moves closer to achieving its ambition to be the heart of the region’s maritime industry and the innovative mind that drives the future.
