Manama, April 30 (BNA): Under the direction of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Kingdom is steadily consolidating its position as a leading global hub in civil aviation and logistics services, in accordance with the Civil Aviation Strategy (2026–2027) and Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, according to Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transport and Telecommunications.
Transportation Minister highlights Bahrain’s aviation, logistics progress
Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed clarified that all legal and regulatory requirements have been fulfilled for the registration of DHL Air Bahrain, one of the major air cargo companies in the world, to use the Kingdom as its primary hub and headquarters for its operational and commercial activities, as part of ongoing government efforts to develop the civil aviation sector and enhance its contribution to the national economy.
This strategic move, according to the minister, is a reflection of Bahrain’s advanced position on the global aviation map, major international companies’ strong confidence in the Kingdom’s investment and regulatory environment, its sophisticated infrastructure, and its advantageous location that connects regional and international markets with high efficiency and flexibility.
According to Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed, the company’s establishment entails giving it a substantial national ownership status and designating Bahrain as its primary regional business hub. This will improve air transport and cargo capabilities and support the Kingdom’s goal of solidifying its position as a leading regional center in air cargo and logistics services. Along with Gulf Air, the Kingdom’s national carrier, he said it is a strategic addition to Bahrain’s civil aviation ecosystem that strengthens the diversity of national carriers and institutions, increases operational flexibility, supports regional and global supply chains, and expands Bahrain’s air and logistics connectivity.
The minister added that this development increases Bahrain’s competitiveness and visibility at regional and global levels by creating more opportunities for national carriers to be designated in compliance with air transport service agreements.
According to Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed, this development demonstrates the strength of Bahrain’s investment climate and the effectiveness of national policies that support sustainable development, empower the civil aviation industry, and strengthen the Kingdom’s standing as a cutting-edge regional and global hub for aviation and logistics services.
Abdulaziz Busbate, CEO of DHL Express MENA, praised efforts to improve infrastructure readiness and build the regulatory environment while expressing gratitude for the Minister of Transport and Telecommunications’ assistance and follow-up to the civil aviation sector.
He continued by saying that Bahrainization has reached 53%, demonstrating the company’s dedication to giving Bahrainis good job opportunities and enabling them to actively participate in the air cargo industry and promote the Kingdom’s economic growth. He pointed out that over 70% of Bahrain’s air cargo traffic during the previous five years has come from the business’s fleet, which consists of two Boeing 767-800 aircraft and ten Boeing 767-300F aircraft. The company operates flights to 23 countries at a rate of 266 flights per week.
