Kuwait Transport

Officials in Kuwait have made significant progress on long-awaited upgrades to Kuwait’s International Airport (KIA) by signing a $4.4bn contract to kick-start construction on a new terminal.

Ports in Kuwait have performed well in recent years, supported by a national bid to increase both hydrocarbon exports and non-oil commercial shipping activity. However, while plans to upgrade facilities and improve access to new oilfields bode well for the industry, the sector also faces several challenges, led by fluctuations in global demand and regional competition.

Air traffic is rising steadily in Kuwait as the state continues to capitalise on growing volumes of international travellers, buoyed by heightened regional activity.

Government investments in the transport sector are set to expand capacity at Kuwait’s ports over the next several years. Progress is being made on the new Mubarak Al Kabeer (MAK) port, while other infrastructure projects – including a 36-km causeway that will link Shuwaikh Port with Boubyan Island – are moving ahead.

Efforts to transform Kuwait’s logistics infrastructure are gathering pace following the announcement that the first phase of the $1.2bn Mubarak Al Kabir port development is on track for completion in the second quarter of 2014.

Plans are moving ahead for Kuwait’s country-wide metro system, which is hoped to address the growing issue of congestion and create a better environment for growth in commercial, business, industrial and residential markets.