Saudi Arabia launches new Bahrain maritime link as Hormuz routes strain
The service connects King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam with Bahrain’s Khalifa Bin Salman Port.
The Saudi Ports Authority, commonly referred to as Mawani, has launched a new maritime link with Bahrain, providing a direct shipping service between the two countries as regional shipping routes are strained by the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.
The new service connects the Saudi city of Dammam's King Abdulaziz Port with Bahrain's Khalifa Bin Salman Port with a capacity of up to 3,000 standard containers, Mawani said in a statement relayed via the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.
SPA reported that the Gulf shuttle service of the Mediterranean Shipping Company, the largest container operator in the world, is operating the route.
Why it matters: The announcement comes as the Strait of Hormuz — the vital waterway that normally sees around a fifth of the global oil and liquified natural gas pass through it — has been nearly totally closed to ships since the war began.
