Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Saleh Al-Jasser, unveiled a comprehensive package of operational initiatives at an extraordinary virtual meeting of GCC transport ministers on Sunday, setting out a series of concrete measures designed to remove friction from regional supply chains, expand the use of Saudi infrastructure across Gulf networks and reinforce the kingdom’s standing as the region’s primary logistics gateway.
Extending Operational Flexibility for Regional Carriers
Among the most practically significant announcements, the ministry confirmed an extension of the permitted operational lifespan for commercial trucks inside Saudi Arabia to 22 years — a limit that now applies to vehicles arriving from GCC partner states as well as domestic fleets. The change directly reduces replacement costs for cross-border carriers and extends the effective service life of existing assets across the Gulf’s commercial transport network.
A complementary measure allows empty trucks transporting goods and refrigerated materials from all six GCC countries to enter the kingdom and load outbound cargo for Gulf markets. Previously, restrictions on empty vehicle entry added unnecessary repositioning costs to regional logistics operations. Removing that requirement streamlines round-trip efficiency and encourages freight operators to route shipments through Saudi territory rather than around it.
Dedicated GCC Zones at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam
The package includes the establishment of dedicated GCC storage and redistribution zones at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, with separate operational areas allocated for each member state. The arrangement is designed to improve container management, reduce congestion at the point of entry and give each Gulf country a defined operational footprint within what is already one of the region’s busiest port facilities.
Minister Al-Jasser also chairs the Saudi Ports Authority — Mawani — and the dual role gives him direct oversight of how these allocations are implemented at ground level. The GCC storage initiative is structured to improve redistribution flows between the Eastern Province and Red Sea ports, supporting the connectivity of Saudi Arabia’s two-coast logistics corridor and creating practical incentives for Gulf operators to treat Dammam as a preferred regional hub rather than a single-market destination.
60-Day Storage Exemption Opens a Regional Relief Window
Completing the package, the ministry announced a 60-day exemption from storage fees covering GCC imports and exports moving through Saudi port facilities. For businesses managing inventory across multiple Gulf markets, the measure provides meaningful financial relief and reduces the cost of using Saudi infrastructure as a staging point for regional distribution. The timeline is long enough to absorb normal transit cycles and short enough to maintain operational discipline.
Taken together, the initiatives announced at Sunday’s meeting reflect a sustained and deliberate effort to turn Saudi Arabia’s central geographic position into a commercial advantage that benefits the entire GCC. With Dammam anchoring the eastern gateway and Jeddah increasingly active on the Red Sea coast, the kingdom is constructing a logistics architecture capable of serving not just domestic demand but the broader requirements of Gulf trade, regional supply chains and the longer ambitions of Vision 2030’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy.
