A consortium of international companies, led by Public Warehouses Company (PWC) Logistics Saudi Arabia, has qualified to submit an official proposal for the build, operate and transfer (BOT) tender for Saudi Arabia’s privatised Landbridge Project.

The government-initiated Landbridge project is the cornerstone of the extensive Saudi Railways Expansion Program, a massive development designed to transform the kingdom’s existing rail network into a world class freight and passenger transport system, says Rod Lancaster, country manager for PWC Logistics, Saudi Arabia.

Lancaster says that the ground-breaking new line will complete an overland transport network between the country’s four major economic centres and allow the direct transportation of cargo containers and passengers from the Red Sea to the Gulf.

Landbridge will involve construction of over 940km of new rail line and will link the existing Dammam-Riyadh railway with the western city of Jeddah, connecting the Red Sea port with Dammam the Gulf port city. The line will also serve the dry port in the capital, Riyadh.

The PWC Logistics consortium is among four consortia, selected from an original nine, to bid to run the multi-billion dollar project.

“In terms of reducing the pressure on supply chain management in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, this new railway is indeed a great stride forward for the region,” Lancaster says, adding “we are confident our consortium can make the path easier to tread.”

The Saudi Railway Organisation (SRO), which envisaged the Landbridge project, issued a statement praising the rival four consortia for succeeding in qualifying for proposal submissions, whilst also indicating the final decision on which will be awarded the tender is far from decided.

“The Supreme Economic Council (SEC), chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, has approved the technical report regarding qualification of the four consortia, which had shown their interest in the Landbridge project,” says an SRO statement.

PWC Logistics is a global provider of integrated supply chain solutions, with more than 450 offices located in over 100 countries spread across six continents. Through its network of warehousing facilities and transportation and freight management services, PWC Logistics provides its customers with flexible solutions tailored to meet their business needs.

PWC Logistics customers span a wide range of industries, with a global focus on technology and consumer electronics, retail and consumer products, oil and gas, government services, as well as regional focus on many other sector