Waiting times for delivery lorries on the King Fahd Causeway are set to be cut by 90 percent, dramatically reducing the transit time for goods between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The latest logistics technology passed a pilot scheme that has been running since January, which cut waiting times for delivery drivers from four hours to just 20 minutes.

It promises to deliver a huge boost to trade and is the latest stimulus offered by the Bahrain government to prepare for growth in a post-pandemic world when the 25-kilometer causeway reopens in May. Testing found vehicles were processed faster using technology from Saudi Arabian platform provider Tabadul, allowing businesses to book appointments with customs authorities on both sides of the border to speed up crossings.

“Trade between Saudi and Bahrain reached 10.9 billion SAR (US$ 2.9 billion) in 2020 – despite the movement of goods being restricted to essentials for a few months at the height of the pandemic,” Ali Al Moulani, president of the Bahrain Economists Society said.

Source Credit: The National