International Transport Geography: Assessment 1

Name: zainab Ahmed Alhaddad

ID: 201100327

Bahrain has developed a lot in the past 4000 years. The changes were mainly meant for Bahrain ports. In this essay we will be discussing the geographical factors that affected the developments of Bahrain ports. Those factors could be summarized in the importance of Bahrain location in the past, the main trade routes, the changes that happened in Bahrain after discovering oil and gas, ports developments requests of land reclamation and dredging, the importance of the causeways on the area and finally the exact improvements that ports went through.

location of Bahrain and trade routes and its effects on the developments

Bahrain played a vital role in the gulf for the past 4000 years. That’s comes for many reasons, first one is that Bahrain situated in the western shores of the Persian Gulf where Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran and Iraq are surrounding the small island. Also, Bahrain stay at a global trade points which is between Asia and Europe. Not to forget that Bahrain was the first sea trade known in the past 5000 years. And it was a network between Mesopotumia and Indus River in western India.[1] This makes Bahrain the main storage of the important products, such as copper. In addition, Bahrain was an important stop for the ships to get provided by fresh water that only Bahrain could afford among the gulf countries on that time. However, sea routes opened new doors for developing the maritime trade in 3000 BC to AD 1450. After that, Bahrain improved trading cycle since it became a pealing & trading center specially within Dilmun civilization.[2]-[3]

However, the trade routes went through many developments since the discovery of oil & gas which has affected the economy of Bahrain positively.[4] And those efforts have dramatically increased specially in improving Bahrain’s infrastructure.[5]

Discovery of oil and its effects on the economy

An oil first discovery activity has started on 1930 s in Bahrain. The oil flowed on 1932 at the time were united states and British competing for oil control. At the 1970s the government allowed searching oil in order to make more money. Bahrain trading was in gold, copper ,pearl and vegetables before discovering oil. Even, it was an important stop point within the Arabian gulf, the discovery of oil was the main reason of the massive increase of Bahrain economy and it pushed the country to invest in other trading fields, such as industry and manufactures which leaded to increase the total income and maintaining the infrastructure of the country. Those improvements and money investments were the reason behind the variety of the income source of Bahrain.[6]-[7]

Mina Manama developments

Mina Manama is located at the northern shore of Bahrain. It was famous by the Dhow (traditional trading craft) that were used for fishing and local trading. This port was an important trade spot between Persia and gulf since 1917’s. the steamers used to anchor for seven miles of the northern shallow water, then the cargo and passengers continues by Dhow. After that, piers were built on these spots in order to save the

cargos from damage because of the long wait of Dhows on the water for steamers arrival. In 1914 a bridge was built to link Bahrain island to Muharraq to simplify the movements of cargo. After fuel industry, more developed and bulky ships were used, where the idea of Mina Salman has started in 1954. This idea requested lots of dredging and reclamation operations in order to increase the depth of the water and provide enough space to push the Mina from the Souq.[8]

Mina Salman developments

[A] Mina Salman developments map

Mina Salman starts in 1954. At the beginning it allows for up to six vessels to anchor, which enabled the vessels to send cargo directly to the ports warehouses. Then, the goods were delivered to the market using coastal Dhow. However, the imported cargo has increased for over to 50% which caused a huge problem the port could not handle. That affected the Dispatching of vessels which has been delayed to 50 days. The reason of that delay is that port was only able to contain 250,000 tons while it is requested to contain 2 million tons. Bahrain couldn’t find a solution for the massive problem but in order to let a modern documentation procedures take over port process. 170 million was invested for the constructions of Mina Salman. Also, the company has adopted and trained the foreign stevedores and mixed it with the local work force on 1997. Those improvements of Mina Salman make it an efficient port that provides lots of valuable services in speed under a specialized work force. While the ports were improving the need of an efficient road network were required in order to simplify and speed the movement of cargo on the land.[9]-[10]

Roads network and causeways

Within the past 4000 years, most of Bahrain trades movements were through sea routes which has limited the circle of trading. But, the developments that Bahrain went

through after discovering oil and the increase of Bahrain relationships, land routes were required to be mentioned as well.

Bahrain ports and airports are linked to each other by an efficient road network. Those ports are located only ten minutes away from roads. In order to cope with the increase of traffic, Bahrain ensured the continuously maintenance of roads which leads to give Khalifa Bin Salman a good connectivity of Mina Salman through Khalifa bridge and the highway.[11]

That is not all, King Fahad quite expensive case way which costs 212 million was opened in 1986. But, the costs were not compared with the benefits reflected on the economy and ports. The access of the causeway has attract commerce and tourism. In fact the case way is the reason behind the increase of the tourism amount to over 90%. The causeway has become the preferable choice for tourisms and companies which reduced the time to only 30min and the cost to 2BD rather than using a ship or a plane that costs more. That leaded to improve the free trading between both countries.[12]-[13]

In addition, Bahrain is working on a new projects that connects Bahrain with Qatar through a causeway and cut in the middle by a bridge that allows the ships to pass underneath. It is expected to cut the travel time from 4 hours to 30min. The causeway is scheduled to complete on 2013. This will reflect positively on the economics of both countries.[14]-[15]

Airport development and it links to the ports

The first commercial flight in Bahrain airport was from London to Delhi through Bahrain in the 1920’s. Basra, Kuwait and united kingdom flights were added to the schedules on the 1950’s. the route started to increase and now Bahrain airport serve around 40 different airlines for various destinations. 10 million were invested to expand and improve the airport which reflected on increasing the capacity of the port to 10 million passenger a year.[16] site. Moreover, the amount of cargo that were shipped through Bahrain airport has grown from 237,000 tons in 2003 to 337,000 tons in 2005. But, the dramatically increase of the amount of cargo was shown when Khalifa Bin Salman port opened, which has efficiently speed the flow of cargo.[17]

[B] The map of Khalifa Bin Salman port

In order to reduce the land transportation costs, the causeways were built and the roads where maintained. After maintenance, the distance between Khalifa port and airport became 13km while it is 5 km to Salman port and the distance to King Fahad causeway is 30km only.[18]

Bahrain developments time line

Since the trade routes increased, the causeways were built, the roads were maintained, the ports problems of water depth and land space were solved by dredging and reclamation, ports kept their efforts on developing the services, facilities, speed, safety and productivity, Bahrain will remind as an important spot in the world.

sea trade4000

BCbridge of

Muharraq1914 Mina Manama1917 Air port1920 oil search1930

oil discovery1932BABCO

opened in Gulf

1935 Mina SAlman1954 King Fahad causway1986 Khalifa port2009

[C] This map is showing the reclamations from 1964 to 2009. As it is seen, most of reclamations were made on the northern shores of Bahrain island and surrounding Muharraq. Reclamations was mainly made for expanding the ports, to provide more lands for the important projects which is not far away from ports and to improve road systems.

[D]-[E] This maps show the trade routes in the 2000 BC and how the routes improved in the 300 BC which expanded to mediterranean sea , the red sea and north Europe.

Page of resources:

[1] Global logistics book- chapter1 (sea transport and global economy) - page 7-8

[2] Global logistics book- chapter1 (sea transport and global economy) - page 8

[3] Bahrain ports past, present and future. A history of trade- page 20. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[4] Bahrain ports past, present and future. Bahrain today - page 27. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[5] Bahrain ports past, present and future. A history of trade - page 21. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[6] New stamps to mark oil discovery. Gulf daily news. website: http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/source/XXXV/111/pdf/page05.pdf

[7] Life before and after the discovery of oil by Kate Mitchell. Page 1. Website: http://bahrainguide.org/content/view/70/46/

[8] Bahrain ports past, present and future. Mina Manama- history - page 39. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[9] Bahrain ports past, present and future. Mina Salman - history - page 37. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[10] Bahrain ports past, present and future. Mina Salman - Port operations today - page 41. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[11] Bahrain ports past, present and future. Transshipping hubof the Gulf - page 33. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[12] Bahrain ports past, present and future. King Fahad causeway - page 35. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[13] King fahd cause way, written By fawaz on 30/08/2010. Website: http://bhguide.com/2010/08/30/king-fahd-causeway/

[14] Logistics, Bahrain-Qatar Causeway. Website: http://www.bahrainedb.com/logistics-infrastructure.aspx

[15] Project overview: Qatar-Bahrain Causeway, written by Elsa Baxter on Jun 13, 2009. Website: http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-5486-project-overview-qatar-bahrain-causeway/

[16] history of Bahrain airport. Website: http://bahrainairport.com/bia/history.htm

[17] Bahrain ports past, present and future, Bahrain’s airport operations . Page 77. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[18] Khalifa Bin Salman Port. Website: http://www.gop.bh/kbsp.asp

Maps recourses:

[A] Bahrain ports past, present and future, Mina Salman - Port operations today. Page 42. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[B] Bahrain ports past, present and future, Khalifa bin Salman Port –The future underway. Page 88. Website: http://www.gop.bh/pdf/PortsBook_191008.pdf

[C] Bahrain before and after reclamation. Website: http://universes-in-universe.org/eng/nafas/articles/2010/bahrain_venice_architecture/img/06#imgNav

[D] Global logistics book- chapter1 – the origin of sea trade, 3000BC to AD 1450. Page 7

[E] Global logistics book- chapter1 – the rise of Greek shipping. Page 9