Saudi Arabia: Transport and logistics will contribute 10 percent of Saudi GDP by 2030, up from 6 percent today, following the implementation of the Kingdom’s new strategy for the sector, said Minister of Transport Saleh Aljasser.

Goals of the strategy include tripling air transport movement, linking the cities of Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah through a 450-kilometer express train and, eventually, connecting the east and west of the Kingdom and the ports, and joining the Gulf-wide rail network, Aljasser said during a press conference on Tuesday.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the new transport and logistics blueprint last week with the aim of positioning the Kingdom as a global logistics hub connecting three continents, and improve all transport services in support of Saudi Vision 2030.

Saudi Arabia wants to handle 4.5 million tons of air cargo annually, up from 900,000 tons in 2019, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Abdulaziz Alduailej, said during the press conference.