Türkiye and Saudi Arabia sign rail and logistics cooperation agreements

Türkiye and Saudi Arabia signed two memorandums of understanding on Tuesday in Riyadh to strengthen cooperation in the railway and logistics sectors, as regional instability heightens the importance of secure trade routes.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu and Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser signed the agreements following a meeting in the Saudi capital. One MoU focuses on cooperation in logistics services, including the construction, operation and management of logistics centers. The second agreement aims to expand collaboration across all areas of the railway sector.

"At a time when our region is going through a sensitive period, ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of trade and logistics chains has become more critical than ever. Removing obstacles facing the transport sector is a strategic necessity," Uraloğlu said.

Bilateral road freight transport between the two countries reached around 20,000 annual trips before 2012 but declined due to regional developments, the Turkish minister noted. "Although current figures remain below those levels, our goal is to move cooperation beyond its previous peak," he said.

Uraloğlu said two pilot freight operations from Türkiye to Saudi Arabia via Iraq had demonstrated the feasibility of the corridor. He also said a direct railway connection between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia would be of strategic importance, and highlighted potential cooperation in high-speed rail systems and railway rolling stock.

The agreements come as Ankara pursues multiple transport initiatives to bypass chokepoints and boost overland trade with the Gulf. On June 3, Türkiye announced a planned extension of the Hejaz Railway to Oman as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.