Ma'an, April 22 (Petra) – The government has renewed its commitment to advancing the Ma'an Dry Port project after a pause of more than two decades, in a move that underscores efforts to revive strategic development initiatives in Ma'an Governorate and strengthen its role as a national economic and logistics hub.

The renewed momentum comes alongside the government’s recent announcement of finalizing agreements for the Aqaba Port Railway project, marking the start of practical implementation steps for a project estimated at around $2.3 billion, jointly financed by Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The development is expected to catalyze long-delayed infrastructure projects in the governorate.

In parallel, the government has initiated studies to extend the railway line toward mining areas in al-Shidiyah and connect it to the Ma'an Development Zone, a step that would significantly enhance the prospects of establishing the Ma'an Dry Port as a core logistics, industrial, and customs hub.

First proposed more than 20 years ago, the Ma'an Dry Port project was delayed due to financing constraints, high construction costs, and the impact of regional instability and the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan previously reaffirmed during a cabinet session held in Ma'an last year that reviving the project and linking it to the Aqaba railway remains a government priority, given its expected role in stimulating economic activity in the governorate.

Specialists and stakeholders told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the project would mark a qualitative shift in Ma'an’s economic structure by attracting investment, expanding the production base, drawing new industries, creating thousands of job opportunities, and improving freight and logistics efficiency.

Chairperson of the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company, Muhammad Thunaibat, said linking the Aqaba railway to the Ma'an Dry Port could generate at least 5,000 jobs and deliver financial savings of around $40 million, reinforcing the project’s direct economic impact.

Chief Executive Officer of Ma'an Development Company, Mohammad Abu Tayeh, said the project would serve as a key driver for the industrial, transport, and logistics sectors, noting that the Ma'an Development Zone is already equipped with integrated infrastructure in roads, energy, water, and telecommunications.

He added that the zone’s strategic location between Aqaba, Amman, and regional markets would strengthen national supply chains, reduce pressure on Aqaba Port, and benefit from clean energy supplied by the local solar power plant.

Abu Tayeh stressed that integrating the dry port with the development zone would create a highly competitive investment environment, attract new industries and regional distribution centers, and support sustainable job creation and local economic growth.

Former Ma'an Mayor, Khaled Shammari, said the governorate already possesses essential infrastructure, including designated logistics areas, a transport network requiring further development, and a qualified workforce that can support the project’s requirements.

Ma'an Deputy Governor, Mohammed Mahamid, said the project would stimulate economic growth, enhance the national transport system, and improve the efficiency of cargo movement between Aqaba and Ma'an.

He added that it would reduce transport and shipping costs, strengthen productive and service sectors, and enhance the governorate’s attractiveness to investors, positioning the dry port as an integrated logistics hub aligned with national supply chain development strategies.

Head of the Economics Department at Al Hussein Bin Talal University, Akram Awad, said the project’s impact extends beyond job creation to restructuring Ma'an’s economic landscape by redistributing logistics activity and improving supply chain efficiency.

He noted that Ma'an’s strategic location, linking the Gulf region and the Levant, would help transform it into a regional logistics hub and integrate the national economy more deeply into regional value chains, supporting long-term sustainable growth.

//Petra// AJ