MANAMA: A lack of coordination among various authorities on the King Fahd Causeway caused a massive traffic jam creating a 10-km queue of trucks on the Saudi side of the border with Bahrain. The jam that disrupted the flow of supplies to Bahrain was partially cleared yesterday morning after a series of meetings between Saudi and Bahraini authorities.
Over 1,000 Bahrain-bound trucks carrying raw materials for factories and also perishable items were delayed in traffic for several days, prompting the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) to send a team to assess the situation, a senior BCCI board member said.
Manager of BCCI Customs and Ports Committee Abdulhakim Al-Shammary said that after long and hectic meetings with Customs, Immigration and Traffic authorities, about 1,000 Bahrain-bound trucks were finally cleared to enter Bahrain. “Traffic jams on the causeway have become commonplace and the situation worsens during festivals and special days such as Eid when the flow of traffic increases.
“Long delays on the causeway put additional financial burdens on both importers and exporters in addition to delays in the arrival of commodities in Bahrain. Businesses in Bahrain rely on a regular supply of raw materials from Saudi Arabia and have been facing enormous problems over the past couple of years. Al-Shammry confirmed that the flow of trucks carrying cement and other raw materials started at 11.30 a.m. yesterday after the intervention of the Saudi authorities at the request of the BCCI. “The trucks with general commodities are still stuck on the causeway,” he added.
“Unnecessary delays at the Saudi-Bahraini border contributed to tariff rates going as high as 150 percent. Most transport companies are unwilling to run on the route, making it difficult for importers and exporters to keep their supply channels open.
BCCI earlier also urged the Saudi authorities to open their borders 24 hours for trucks. The delays mean far fewer trucks, carrying cement and other construction-related materials, making it to Bahrain.
