Mubarak Al Kabeer Port is a port under construction in Bubiyan Island, Kuwait. It is part of the China Belt and Road Initiative. Under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the Mubarak Al Kabeer Port is a section of the Silk City project’s first phase. The port is also an essential portion of Kuwait Vision 2035 set to bring many new job opportunities in the country. The Port will serve the economic needs of many countries including Kuwait, Iran, Iraq and China. Additionally, the seaport is one of the closest to the Central Asia.
Being part of Mubarak Al Kabeer Port’s project, Bubiyan Island will be incorporated with power plants and substations. A 5,000-megawatt power plant facility is already constructed in Subiya. There is also a road developed to link Mubarak Al Kabeer Port’s first phase to the present road network in the Bubiyan Island. Mubarak Al Kabeer Port was one of Kuwait’s 2021 biggest infrastructure projects. The port’s fire stations are currently under construction. AECOM was providing design and planning, dredging, land Reclamation and construction supervision services for the new port.
The Gulf Railway scheme.
Mubarak Al Kabeer Port is also part of the Gulf Railway scheme in Kuwait. The scheme is a proposed railway infrastructure set to link all six Gulf Cooperation Council member states in the Eastern Arabia. The rail system comprises of a total length of 2,177 km. The Gulf Railway scheme is estimated to worth US$250 billion. It was planned to be done by 2023, although as of 2021, construction work had not yet started.
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Each of the six GCC member states is in charge of the project’s portion that is in its territory, and will build its own railway lines, stations, branches and freight terminals. The cost is to be shared by all the six countries in proportion to the rail network length in each territory. Meaning, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are going to spend the more on the project, with Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain following. The Saudi Railway Company will develop the network in Saudi Arabia, Etihad Rail in the UAE, Oman Rail in Oman, and Qatar Rail in Qatar.
Mubarak Al Kabeer Port construction timeline
2011
The port requires developing mutually benefiting economic ties with Iraq. Earlier in 2011, the port brought tensions in Iraq because of its proximity to Grand Faw Port. Later in September 2011, Iraq’s foreign minister stated that the dispute over Mubarak Al Kabeer Port were resolved.
2019
In August, Iraq submitted a protest letter to the United Nations against Kuwait concernig the maritime area which lies beyond marker 162 in Khor Abdullah by upraising Fisht al-Aych shoal. According to MEED, the scheme’s contract was given in November 2019.
2020
In September, it was revealed that the port was 53% complete.
2021
The Port was still under construction. In March, it was revealed that Pakistan and Kuwait will develop connections between Gwadar Port and Mubarak Al Kabeer Port. In April, the first phase of the port was completed with 4 berths. The port is set to be sustainable environmentally.
