Business & Money | Wednesday 8 April, 2015 1:38 am |

King Fahd International Airport (KFIA), one of the region’s fastest growing and leading international airports, today officially unveiled its “Cargo Village”. The launch event was presided over by His Royal Highness, Prince Saud bin Naif, Governor of the Eastern Province, in presence of HE Mr. Sulaiman Abdullah Al-Hamdan, President of the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA), Royal Family members, top executives of several public departments and the top management of King Fahd International Airport.

The Cargo Village is spread over half a million square metres. More than 70% of goods bound for the Gulf region is destined for the Kingdom and by facilitating operations the Cargo Village positions KFIA as a multi-modal shipment and clearance destination, directly serving the Eastern Province and the Kingdom. The new facility offers direct access to Saudi Arabia and bypasses the need for cargo to transship through neighbouring countries.

Commenting on this occasion, Al Hamdan said, "We are delighted by the launch of the first cargo village in the Kingdom, and we believe that it will play a vital role in supporting the Saudi economy. KFIA’s Cargo Village offers ease of shipping and cargo services while serving as a regional hub for global companies. Most importantly the Cargo Village creates new economic and employment opportunities for the Eastern Province.

For the planning and implementation of the Cargo Village, KFIA has worked in cooperation with Saudi Customs and Changi Airports International (CAI). The Cargo Village has been designed to the latest international standards and has been customised to maximise convenience for airlines and freight companies operating from KFIA. The Cargo Village guarantees express cargo delivery with reduced shipping times and increases cargo capacity, promising operating efficiencies for freight companies.

The Director-General of KFIA, Engineer Yousef Al-Dhahri, expressed pride in the launch, saying: “King Fahd International Airport is proud to present to Dammam, the Kingdom and the region this dynamic facility revolutionising the way cargo is handled in the region. With our continued partnership with Changi Airports International and their efforts, we are on track to becoming one of the region’s leading aviation hubs serving both passenger and cargo traffic. We anticipate that we will soon be starting the next phase as the demand for facilities is expected to grow strongly. ”

The Chief Executive Officer of CAI, Mr Lim Liang Song, lauded the close working partnership among CAI, KFIA and Saudi Customs. He said: “We are proud to be a part of this partnership in bringing this innovative facility to Dammam. The Cargo Village will provide greater connectivity and cost efficiencies, and enhance KFIA’s position as a key regional cargo hub on the Eastern seaboard of the Kingdom.”

The two-year construction commenced in December 2012 and is now fully operational. The first of its kind for multimodal facilities in the Kingdom, the Cargo Village has attracted leading international and regional freight companies, such as DHL Express, NAQEL, SMSA Express, TNT and UPS to establish express cargo clearance facilities and offices at the King Fahd Cargo Village.