Muscat – Oman and Saudi Arabia are moving to strengthen direct overland trade through a new logistics arrangement designed to speed up cargo movement and create a more efficient supply chain between the two economies.

Oman-based Arkan Logistics and Saudi Arabia’s SPARK Logistics signed a strategic cooperation agreement on August 5 to activate the Secure Green Land Corridor, using the direct road connection between the two countries.

The companies said the arrangement aims to provide a faster route for cargo, increase shipment volumes and bilateral trade, and improve cross-border supply-chain efficiency.

The initiative is being developed in coordination with Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services, as well as customs authorities in both countries. Sohar Port and Freezone is supporting the initiative.

Sohar Port and Freezone said the partnership would strengthen regional logistics connectivity and facilitate trade between Oman and Saudi Arabia, while reinforcing the port and freezone’s position as a logistics and trading hub.

The corridor builds on the road across the Rub Al Khali, or Empty Quarter, which opened in December 2021 and gave Oman and Saudi Arabia their first direct land connection, eliminating the need for bilateral road traffic to transit through the UAE. The Saudi section stretches 564km from the Batha-Haradh intersection to the Rub Al Khali border crossing.

On the Saudi side, SPARK Logistics operates the logistics zone and dry port at King Salman Energy Park in the Eastern Province.

The new arrangement comes at a time when Gulf states are placing greater emphasis on alternative and resilient trade routes. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has remained below normal levels amid continuing regional tensions, increasing the strategic importance of land and multimodal connections alongside maritime routes.