The non-oil trade between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain has soared 43 percent to $688.4 million in the 3rd quarter of 2020 compared to $481 million in the previous year despite the pandemic driven economic crisis.
The increase in trade occurred between both the countries following the relaxation given to the restrictions on cargo transit over the King Fahd Causeway back in August.
Saudi Arabia is one of Bahrain’s key trading partners, with the majority of imports and exports flowing via the King Fahd Causeway. The western terminus of the 25 km causeway is the al-Khour neighborhood of Khobar, Saudi Arabia and the eastern terminus is Al Jasra, Bahrain.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has increased by 12 percent past the $2 billion mark during the first three quarters of 2020 to record a year-on-year increment from the 2019 figure of $1.93 billion.
Abdulhakim Al Shamary, board member of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) stated that the King Fahd Causeway acts as an important link between Bahrain and the wider $1.5 trillion Gulf economy for millions of passengers as well as commercial trucks every year. “Despite Covid-19, commercial drivers have still been able to use the bridge enabling critical continuity for the logistics sector,” Al Shamary further added.
Recently, Bahrain Customs has installed high-tech artificial intelligence (AI) scanners at the King Fahd Causeway, to conduct automated data collection and examining the shipment before reaching the border.
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