Petroleum and chemical products company Mena Energy DMCC has chosen Bahrain as its regional base for its new Pörner bitumen packing system project, a Bahrain Government statement said.

The company chose the Bahrain Logistics Zone with a view to gaining access to markets in Africa, India and Asia. The development follows outreach and support from the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB). The project is expected to create around 40 new jobs in the kingdom as well as potentially increasing cargo and load movements at the Khalifa Bin Salman Port.

The new facility has the potential to be a key customer for Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) which has a strong working relationship with Mena Energy. This relationship will allow the development of a more efficient bitumen production and transportation system, the statement said.

Mena Energy was incorporated and registered in 2009 by the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) Authority as a limited liability company, with a sole shareholder, Rashid Abdullah Ahmad Al Ghurair. It mainly trades in crude and petroleum products across the region, as well as engaging in activities related to the trading of chemical products such as supply chain integration and clean energy trading.

EDB and GOP roles
“EDB’s support for the establishment of Mena Energy DMCC’s new project in Bahrain is part of the overall strategy to drive forward the role of the private sector as an engine of growth for the economy. However, it also demonstrates the benefits of doing business in Bahrain with an established infrastructure offering access to the trillion-dollar Gulf market and other international locations as well as wide-ranging commercial and operational benefits,” said  Sheikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, chief executive, EDB.

The EDB is a public agency with overall responsibility for formulating and overseeing Bahrain’s economic development strategy, and for creating the right climate to attract direct investment into the kingdom. It provides project management to ensure that all agreed reform initiatives are implemented in an effective and timely manner.

The Bahrain EDB is also responsible for attracting inward investment into Bahrain, and is focusing on six target economic sectors. These are financial services, downstream industries, tourism, business services, logistics, and education and training.

Sheikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, chairman of Bahrain’s General Organisation of Sea Ports, regulator and operator of the Bahrain Logistics Zone, commented: “This key tenancy at BLZ represents a milestone in the kingdom’s efforts to leverage our position as a multimodal logistics leader serving the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the northern Gulf countries. We are seeing an increasing number of regional and international logistics organisations establishing their commercial bases here and GOP is focused on facilitating this set up process for global companies. Bahrain has not only geographical advantages its set-up costs are lower than those of other Gulf countries, and the EDB is a unique body that supports and aids foreign investment.”

The Mena Energy project will offer a complete logistics solution that facilitates more economical production and delivery of bitumen in an easier process for both refineries and end user. The system is made up of three components; the bitumen bag, the cooling and packing unit and the melting unit. Unlike conventional metal drums, Pörner bags can be transported on a much larger scale, with easy handling and at competitive rates, to any location worldwide.

Sheikh Mohammed: driving the private sector

Weighing in BLZ’s benefits
Al Ghurair, chief executive of Mena Energy, said: “We were attracted to the BLZ by economic and logistics infrastructure benefits, including competitive operating costs, access to the northern Gulf region through the new port and the potential supply from Bapco as well as the support provided by EDB.”

The GOP was established on September 2006 with a mission to develop Bahrain’s maritime industry and infrastructure and regulate its operations in line with the kingdom’s Economic Vision 2030 development strategy. The GOP’s overarching responsibility lies in guiding the development of strategies to position Bahrain as a leader in the maritime industry. 

As a regulator, the GOP is responsible for supervising all maritime safety and environmental matters and ensuring adequate infrastructure is in place to serve the needs of the kingdom’s seaports, including the region’s newest state-of-the-art Khalifa Bin Salman Port. The GOP is also responsible for operating and developing the Bahrain Logistics Zone.

The Bahrain Logistics Zone is the only dedicated customs-free, value-added logistics park in Bahrain and is located strategically in close proximity to the kingdom’s new sea port with access to prime transportation links. Occupying a pivotal location within the port’s boundary, it is structured to complement the new port and to offer an all-encompassing scope for the operation of modern logistics and value-added services for a portfolio of carefully selected client companies that are in a strong position to exploit the special benefits of Bahrain’s focal position in the Arabian Gulf.