MANAMA, 5 June 2007 — Six major projects are under way at Bahrain Ports, the island’s Customs, Ports and Free Zones President Shaikh Duaij Bin Salman Al-Khalifa said.
These include privatization and completion of Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Port, which is due to open by September 2008, facelift of the cargo section, establishment of general organization for ports, and switching over to electronic operation in the directorate, he said.
The switch-over to electronic operation will cost BD800,000.
There are also plans to expand and develop the customs area on King Fahd Causeway. An 11-hectare Customs Zone will be created and is being studied by the finance ministry.
The new zone, which will be built on reclaimed land near the present customs area, would ease congestion on the causeway because of cargo trucks.
Duaij said the directorate had purchased two devices at the cost of BD4-5 million for the inspection of large trucks on the causeway and Mina Salman.
The one on the causeway will be operational by December and the second in February 2008, he said.
Shaikh Duaij said BD520,000 had been spent on improving the working conditions in the last 12 months.
The training budget for the directorate has been increased by BD13,000 in 2006 to BD91,000 this year, he said, adding that BD109,000 had been allocated for next year.
He also said that the names of many administrative units and departments will be changed to make them more relevant to the nature of their operations.