It is reported that Bahrain's newly developed Khalifa Bin Salman Port will begin operations in December 2008. The port has a depth of 15 meters to suit any container ship and a capacity of 2.5 million TEUs.

Bahrain has developed the port in a bid to establish itself as a regional transport hub as it is strategically located a mere 40 kilometers from Saudi Arabia and is linked to Qatar and the rest of the region.

Mr Iain Rawlinson CEO of APM Terminals which will manage operations at the new port said that “The port will give mother ships direct access into Bahrain from Europe, Asia and North America without having to unload or reload in other ports. The new Khalifa Bin Salman Port and the Bahrain Logistics Zone offer businesses a highly efficient and cost effective access to the region.”