Sulb, a major steel producer serving international markets, has announced the opening of the newly-constructed wharf.

The new private port facility, located at Salman Industrial City in Hidd, will significantly enhance the company’s supply chain and deliver strong environmental and economic benefits for Bahrain and its customers.

Developed at a cost of $20 million, the facility is 230 m long and can accommodate ships up to 180 m LOA (length overall), 40,000 DWT.  Now in operation, it will allow for a significant reduction in SULB’s usage and dependance on Bahrain’s public roads and port network.

A major player in the region, SULB is 51 per cent owned by Foulath Holding, the Bahrain-based investment vehicle for the metals industry across the Middle East.

By shipping directly by sea to customers, nearly one million tonnes of SULB’s product will be taken off Bahrain’s roads each year. This is equivalent to 40,000 trailers annually, which will not only significantly reduce traffic in the kingdom and wear and tear on roads, but is also expected to result in a substantial reduction in its post-production greenhouse-gas emissions nearing 18,000 tonnes per year.

SULB currently exports 99 per cent of its products annually to customers in more than 25 countries located across the broader Mena region, South East Asia, Americas and Europe. Today, nearly 50 per cent of all structural steel sections used in the GCC’s infrastructure development are manufactured by the company in Bahrain, the company stated.

SULB produces 1.7 mtpa of direct reduced iron from iron ore pellets manufactured by sister-company Bahrain Steel, 1.2 mtpa of steel and delivers almost 800,000 tonnes of finished beams, angles and channels along with its sister company in  Jubail, Saudi Arabia.