Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Minister of Finance and National Economy, inaugurated the expansion of the DHL Express Middle East and North Africa (MENA) hub and its new main office at Bahrain International Airport.
The minister was received by John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express; Ahmed bin Ali Al Khalifa, Chairman of the board of directors of DHL Express Bahrain; and Noor Suliman, CEO of DHL Express MENA.
Mohammed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, Minister of Transportation and Communications; Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce; and Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of Customs, were present at the opening ceremony.
Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa toured the company’s new facilities, where he was briefed on the expansion’s objectives and the latest services offered by DHL Express.
The Finance Minister emphasised Bahrain’s commitment to supporting various economic sectors, including the logistics sector, which are essential to economic growth. He underscored the role of the logistics sector in stimulating the growth of other sectors and enhancing Bahrain’s position as a leading regional logistics hub, which contributes to achieving the objectives of the comprehensive development process, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and supported by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
This project is considered an important milestone by DHL Express for developing its operations as a leading logistics company regionally and globally, the Minister added.
Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa underscored the importance of logistics projects and their role in promoting Bahrain’s competitiveness at both regional and international levels and providing promising opportunities for citizens.
For his part, the CEO of DHL Express MENA said that the launch of this expansion represents one of DHL Express’s biggest recent investments.
He emphasised the company’s confidence in the local and regional markets, noting that this centre will upgrade the company’s services in the Middle East and globally. Suliman added that this investment reflects DHL’s commitment to offering innovative logistics solutions that enable companies to grow in international markets.
The 218 million euro expansion covers a vast area of 54,000 square meters. This facility accommodates 12 DHL aircraft and processes over 2 million shipments annually.
DHL Express has invested in Bahrain for nearly five decades, establishing the largest regional logistics centre in the Middle East. The company’s modern facilities in Bahrain are among its most important facilities globally.
BNA(R)
