Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has signed a contract with the sea shipping major Maersk to increase the number of containers transported on SAR trains between King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam and Riyadh Dry Port, a Saudi Press Agency report said.

SAR CEO Bashar Khalid Al-Malik and Maersk Saudi Arabia CEO Mohammad Shihab signed the three-year contract based on which the number of containers transported through the east train will increase, offering safe and lasting transportation solutions.

The contract will also help increase operational efficiency, decrease the number of trucks between Dammam and Riyadh cities, reduce carbon emissions, and maintain road infrastructure, said the report.

 Al-Malik stressed that such contracts improve the shipping sector, and reaffirmed SAR’s dedication to providing safe and creative solutions to enhance operational efficiency at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam and Riyadh Dry Port, thus improving the overall transportation sector.

 Shihab said the contract is a step toward finding cooperative solutions, between Maersk and SAR, to digital transformation and sustainable logistics. He also said it will contribute to elevating Dammam Port to a regional station for global trade routes from the east to the local markets and farther to the countries in the region.