Riyadh Dry Port

                                                    Riyadh Dry Port capacity and utilities

The Riyadh Dry Port (RDP) lies at the heart of Riyadh city on an area of 918,639 square meters. It has six warehouses measuring 6480 square meters. RDP can handle a cumulative of 450,000 Teu’s annually as yard capacity and BIG is currently achieving more than 360,000 Teu’s.

 The RDP has numerous utilities, including stand by electricity generators, The RDP is also equipped with a fleet of trucks and containers handling equipment’s that are involved in the operation activity as well as auxiliary equipment.

 The RDP where imported containers for inspection and clearance, after which delivered to consignee’s trucks. The RDP is also manned by an experienced team specializing in different tasks, including administration, offloading, and loading the train. Integrated security infrastructure is also a significant utility of RDP. The security system consists of surveillance cameras to monitor the activities within the facility. Moreover, there are other facilities to enhance the welfare and hence, the performance of the port's staff. Such facilities include a health facility, a mosque, and a restaurant.

Services rendered at the RDP

The major service offered at RDP is receipt and verification of cargo, which mainly comprises of containers, vehicles, equipment, and general shipment from King Abdul Aziz Seaport Dammam to deliver the shipments to their allocated terminals. Other services include preparation and issue of all documents related to shipment, scanning, storage, and inspection by the customs for all the shipments entering the customs system. The port's staff is responsible for returning empty containers to the shipping agents in Dammam after the containers are cleared out by the customs, emptied, and returned by the consignee. Besides, the RDP provides service in returning defective goods rejected by the importers/consignee.

The Port also has the responsibility of repairing and performing maintenance procedures for shipping equipment like reach stackers, straddle carriers, empty container handlers, and forklift. This is in addition to receiving refrigerated containers for perishable goods and maintaining temperatures appropriate for a specific cargo. In addition, the port staff is in consistent communication with the Dammam port officials. For instance, once a shipment is received, a notification is sent to the shipping agents/consignee regarding the arrival of their imported goods to enable them to arrange for clearance and collection of the merchandise.

Details of throughput and capacity statistics for Riyadh dry port (RDP) FROM 2017-2019
Inbound container movement in Riyadh Dry Port recorded a dip in the year 2017. This compared to a decrease of 10.5% in 2018. There was an increase of 21% of inbound container traffic in 2019 compared to 2018.

An update on the ports logistics Operations of Baas International Group in 2019 and outlook for 2020-21
It is forecasted that the inbound volume will increase by 4% to 5% in 2020-21.

An update on the latest development in terminal operating systems technology, customers, and refer, technical and other processes at RDP
The latest technological developments include Pilot, NAVIS, and SAP. The SAP system handles billing, sales & distribution, human resource, plant maintenance & materials management. Technological developments have also been enabled:

• Sending daily reports to shipping lines/agents.
• Tracking and monitoring of equipment alongside detailed real-time activity
•  Reefer and Hazardous container maintenance work. Technology also enables real-time maintenance.
• The organizational website Baas International Group has a real-time online container tracking feature intergraded with NAVIS.

Such technologies have enhanced shipment tracking and monitoring efficiency, which enables real-time data on shipment status. The ability to track shipments also allows the RDP to perform activities on different terminals simultaneously. This enhances the coordination of the work and efficiency of the port's operations in the long run. For instance, with the NAVIS innovation, it is possible to record the latest shipment position, which enables automatic updates regarding the shipment's movement.

How completion of the Saudi Land-bridge rail Project between Jeddah and Riyadh could positively impact RDP’s Operations
The Saudi Land-bridge rail between Jeddah and Riyadh will enable RDP to handle more volume efficiently. Connecting the RDP with the rail system will imply that more shipment would get to the RDP, which will make the port a center for world trade.

What precautions were taken to Battle COVID-19?
RDP is very cautious about the health of the workers during the ongoing pandemic. For example, organizational offices and equipment are frequently sanitized. The sanitization exercise is also done on other structures such as warehouses and the merchandise store therein to avoid the possibility of infections. This is alongside the Ministry of Health guidelines for the staff.