Kuwait expands Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port by ten times for future growth
The project’s expanded area of 116 million square meters is part of a plan to transform the port into a key hub for regional trade, driving economic growth and positioning Kuwait as a trade center.
• The total area of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project will be divided as follows: the maritime navigation area will cover 2,022 hectares, the first phase of the seaport will occupy 490 hectares, the port services area and connecting road will span 1,047 hectares, and the government use area will cover 206 hectares.
While discussions with the Chinese side continue to finalize agreements for the Mubarak Port Project, the Municipal Council, at the request of the Ministry of Public Works, approved the expansion of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project during its main session on Monday, chaired by Vice President Khaled Al-Mutairi. The approved area will increase tenfold, reaching 116 million square meters, according to Al Qabas newspaper.
The Ministry of Public Works will expand the seaport on Boubyan Island “with the aim of establishing 24 marinas” and to approve the required area following the expansion of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project. The new total area will be approximately 1,161 hectares, divided into several zones.
The Municipal Council explained that the total area will be divided as follows: the maritime navigation area will cover 2,022 hectares, the first phase of the seaport will occupy 490 hectares, the port services area and connecting road will span 1,047 hectares, and the government use area will cover 206 hectares.
Additionally, the free trade zone will cover 165 hectares, the light industries area will span 185 hectares, including a temporary site for excavation and construction waste (823 hectares), and the regional road and railway campus will cover 5,876 hectares.
A source told Al-Qabas newspaper that the expansion of the project area is aimed at implementing large-scale development projects linked to Mubarak Port. This is part of a broader plan to transform the port into a major hub for transit trade and regional transport, leveraging this vital project for economic development and positioning Kuwait as a center for international and regional trade.
The source added that the country is relying on the Mubarak Port project to drive a developmental shift, attract more local and foreign investments, diversify national resources, and provide thousands of job opportunities for Kuwaiti youth in port-related roles.
The source discussed some of the technical procedures and requirements related to the project, which were reviewed with the Chinese side and the relevant authorities in the country. These include compliance with the Environmental Protection Law No. 42 of 2014 and its amendments, along with all provisions, regulations, and executive decisions for environmental protection.
Additionally, there has been continuous coordination with the ministries of services to meet their conditions, as well as with the Silk City Development Authority and the Five Islands to secure the necessary approvals. The “State Structural Plan Department” has also been authorized to audit the site in collaboration with the concerned authorities and technical committees.
The members decided to approve the project sector’s request to amend the site area for the Desert Adventure Area project in the north of Al-Mutlaa, reducing it from thirteen million square meters to nine million square meters.
The project site will be allocated to the municipality for future investment by the private sector, following the completion of the necessary consultative study. This will be in line with the ratios and uses outlined in the approved study of the structural plan for the third regional zone. The final plan for the approved technical advisory study, detailing the components and percentages of uses and activities, must be submitted for presentation to the Municipal Council.
The council also approved the Ministry of Transport’s request to allocate a site in the Salmi area, covering 2,008 square meters, for the major fiber optic network project for its third phase.
Additionally, the Council agreed to the proposal by member M. Farah Al-Roumi to prepare sustainability regulations and guidelines for the rehabilitation and conservation of archaeological sites and historical buildings.
The Mubarak Port project expansion will cover significant areas, including:
- 2,022 hectares allocated for the maritime navigation area.
- 490 hectares designated for the first phase of the seaport.
- 206 hectares set aside for government use.
- 5,876 hectares dedicated to the regional road and railway campus.
