King Abdul Aziz Sea Port

King Abdul Aziz Port
Landsat view of the port.
Location
Country	Saudi Arabia
Location	Dammam, Eastern Province
Coordinates	26°29′19″N 50°12′4″E / 26.48861°N 50.20111°E / 26.48861; 50.20111Coordinates: 26°29′19″N 50°12′4″E / 26.48861°N 50.20111°E / 26.48861; 50.20111
Details
Owned by	Saudi Ports Authority
Type of harbor	Coastal Breakwater
Land area	19,000 hectares (190 km2)
Available berths	39
Port Director General	Naeem Ibrahim Al-Naeem
Statistics
Vessel arrivals	2,022 (1994)
Annual cargo tonnage	25.9 million (2011)
Main exports	Petrochemicals, industrial products
Main imports	Food and foodstuffs, construction materials, consumer goods
Website www.ports.gov.sa

King Abdul Aziz Port, also known as Dammam Port, is a port in the city of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. It the largest port in the Persian Gulf, and the second largest and second busiest port in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, after the Jeddah Islamic Port. King Abdul Aziz Port is a major export centre for the oil industry, and also a key distribution centre for major landlocked cities in the country, particularly the capital cities of provinces, such as Riyadh which is linked to Dammam by a railway line.

King Abdul Aziz Port covers an area of over 19,000 hectares. The port has a fully equipped 13.5-hectare ship repair complex with two ship repair and maintenance docks and an advanced training center. It also has a 95-meter (310 ft) tower and special stations that handle containers, bulk cereals, and cold and frozen foods.

Following the discovery of large oil reserves in the Eastern Province in 1938, the small coastal village of Dammam rapidly developed into a major regional city and important seaport. It became a centre for natural gas and petroleum reserves and the commercial hub of eastern Saudi Arabia. The majority of the modern city of Dammam and its suburbs were built after the 1940s. Rapid expansion brought the cities of Dammam and Khobar within a few minutes drive by the 1980s. Further population growth and economic expansion resulted in the cities of Dammam, Khobar and Dhahran being merged into the Dammam Metropolitan Area. Several major projects to develop the port were initiated in 2013.

Dammam port's facilities were expanded as part of Saudi Arabia's Second Five Year Plan (1975-80). Sixteen new piers were constructed at the port as part of the development. In 1975, the port imported 2.486 million tons of goods or about 40% of Saudi Arabia's total imports for that year. Imports through Dammam port reached 14.515 million tons in 1982. A total of 3,228 ships visited the port in 1987, and 7.322 million tons of goods were imported.

There are two container terminals at the King Abdul Aziz Port. Both terminals operate 24 hours a day, with shift breaks, and breaks for meals and prayer.