Transport in Kuwait

As a small country, local transport in Kuwait is largely road-based with one car for every 2.25 people. Bus services make up Kuwait's entire public transport network. There are seven airports in Kuwait, the largest of which and solely allocated for civil use is Kuwait International Airport. The Gulf Railway is currently under planning in Kuwait.^[1] The metro for Kuwait City is currently in the design phase. Kuwait has several maritime ports along the coast of the Persian Gulf, the largest port is Mubarak Al Kabeer Port which is currently under construction.

During the First Gulf War, a lot of Kuwait's infrastructure was damaged or destroyed.^[2]

Road transport

Main article: Roads in Kuwait

As a nation with one car per 2.25 people,^[3] Kuwait relies heavily on its road network for transportation. The total length of paved and unpaved roads was 6,524 km in 2009.^[4] Traffic congestion is common throughout the day, particularly in Kuwait City.^[5]

The country's public transport network consists entirely of bus routes. The state-owned Kuwait Public Transportation Company was established in 1962. It runs local bus routes across Kuwait.^[6] The main private bus company is CityBus, which operates about 28 routes across the country. Another private bus company, Kuwait Gulf Link Public Transport Services, was started in 2006. It runs local bus routes across Kuwait and longer distance services to neighbouring Arab countries.^[7]

Ports and harbors

 

The Ash Shu'aybah port

Kuwait lies on the Persian Gulf and ports include: Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud, and Mubarak Al Kabeer Port.

Mubarak Al Kabeer Port

Main article: Mubarak Al Kabeer Port

Under China's Belt and Road Initiative, the Mubarak Al Kabeer Port is part of the first phase of the Silk City project.^[8][9] As of 2021, the Mubarak Al Kabeer Port is currently under construction.^{[10][11][12][13][14]} In September 2020, it was reported that the port is 53% complete.^[15][16] In March 2021, it was announced that Kuwait and Pakistan will develop linkages between Gwadar Port and Mubarak Al Kabeer Port.^[17][18] In April 2021, the port's first phase was completed (4 berths).^[13] As part of Mubarak Al Kabeer Port's development, Bubiyan Island will contain power plants and substations.^{[19][11][20][21]} A 5,000-megawatt power plant has already been built in Subiya,^[22] the Subiya power plant is the largest power plant in Kuwait.^[23][24][25] Mubarak Al Kabeer Port is among Kuwait's largest infrastructure projects in 2021.^[26][27] There is a current road project connecting Mubarak Al Kabeer Port's first phase to the existing road network in Bubiyan Island.^[28][13] Mubarak Al Kabeer Port's fire stations are currently under development.^[29] The port is set to be environmentally sustainable.^[30]

Merchant marine

total: 38 ships (1000 GT or over) 2,294,233 GT/3,730,776 DWT
ships by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 20
foreign-owned: 1 (Iran 1)
registered in other countries:29 (Bahrain 3, Comoros 1, Liberia 1, Libya 1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saudi Arabia 6, UAE 8) (2005)

Airports

Main article: List of airports in Kuwait

Overview

There are seven airports, the largest of which and solely allocated for civil use is Kuwait International Airport. Kuwait International Airport recently inaugurated two new terminals to cater to Kuwait-based airlines. Moreover, the largest Kuwait International Airport terminal (Terminal 2) is currently under construction and will expand the airport's overall capacity by 25–50 million passengers per year.^[31] The new terminal is environmentally sustainable.^[32][31][33] It is one of the world's largest environment friendly airport projects.^[33]

Airports - with paved runways

• Total: 4
• over 3,047 m: 1
• 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
• 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways

• Total: 3
• 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
• under 914 m: 2 (2005)

Heliports

• 12 (2023)

Kuwait-based Airlines

Main article: List of airlines of Kuwait

This is a list of airlines currently operating in Kuwait.

Airline	Arabic name	Image	IATA	ICAO	Callsign	Hubs	Notes
Jazeera Airways	طيران الجزيرة		J9	JZR	JAZEERA	Kuwait International Airport	The airline commenced operations in 2004.^[34] The airline is Kuwait's second national airline after Kuwait Airways.^[35] The airline is the Middle East's first fully privately owned airline.
Kuwait Airways	الخطوط الجوية الكويتية		KU	KAC	KUWAITI	Kuwait International Airport	The airline commenced operations on 16 March 1954.^[36] The airline is Kuwait's national airline.^[37]

Railways

Overview

The increasing congestion to the country's roads has led to several railway megaprojects in Kuwait.^[38]

Gulf Railway

Kuwait City will form one terminus of the Gulf Railway, a 2,000 km (1,200 mi) railway network which will run from Kuwait to Oman, via cities across the Persian Gulf.^[1] As of 2021, the Gulf Railway project is currently under construction in Kuwait.^[1]

Mubarak Al Kabeer Port in Bubiyan Island is part of the Gulf Railway.^[39]

Metro

Main article: Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System Project

The Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System Project is a planned four-line metro network which will total 160 km with 69 stations.^[40] According to MEED in 2021, the metro project is currently in the design stage.^[41][42] It is now a PPP project under the management of the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP).^[43][44] The government will own 10% of the project and raise 50% of the funds through an initial public offer.^[43] The remaining 40% will be held by the private developer.^[43]

See also

•  Railways portal
•  Kuwait portal

• Kuwait
• Jazeera Airways
• Wataniya Airways

References

1. برنامج كويت التنمية .. ابرز مشاريع التنمية في البلاد, 12 April 2021, archived from the original on 11 December 2021
2. "Iraq - Part 2: Kuwait and the consequences".
3. . Bureau of Consular Affairs. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
4. "Roads, total network (km)". World Bank. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
5. . Kuwait Times. 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
6. . Kuwait Public Transportation Company. Archived from the original on 29 April 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
7. . KGL. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
8. "China and Kuwait to Build New Port". Port Technology. 21 February 2019.
9. "Phase One of Kuwait's BRI-Backed US$130 Billion Silk City Opens". Hong Kong Trade Development Council. 10 June 2019.
10. "الأشغال تنتظر مقاول ميناء مبارك لتسلم المرحلة الأولى ابتدائياً". Al Rai (in Arabic). 30 March 2021.
11. Ranju Warrier (19 February 2021). "Elsewedy Electric unit bags $53.2m contract for Kuwait's Boubyan substation". Construction Week.
12. "المجلس الوزراء الكويتي يعقد اجتماعه الاسبوعي - حكومة - 15/03/2021 - كونا". Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) (in Arabic). 15 March 2021. ثم أحيط مجلس الوزراء علماً بتوصية اللجنة بشأن إفادة وزير الأشغال العامة عن الأعمال التنفيذية لتشغيل المرحلة الأولى من مشروع ميناء مبارك الكبير، والترتيبات القانونية والإدارية والتعاقدية لتنفيذه
13. "جهاز الحرير وبوبيان يستكمل ميناء مبارك الكبير بعد... 2024". Al Rai (in Arabic). 26 April 2021.
14. "Kuwait Quarterly Newsletter - Issue 4 January 2021" (PDF). 18 February 2021. p. 5.
15. "Kuwait SCPD provides updates on $10.4bn worth of projects". Middle East Construction News. 20 September 2020. On the other projects, the top Kuwaiti official said the work on Mubarak Al Kabeer Port project had reached 52.7% completion
16. "New Kuwait - Developed Infrastructure". New Kuwait.
17. "Pakistan, Kuwait agree to develop linkages b/w Gwadar & Mubarak Al Kabeer Port". radio.gov.pk. 18 March 2021.
18. "Pakistan, Kuwait agree to strengthen links between Gwadar, Mubarak Al Kabeer ports". arabnews.pk. 19 March 2021.
19. "Connecting Boubyan Island Area in Kuwait". Elsewedy Electric. March 2021.
20. "Kuwait's MEW to float tender for transmission stations". Zawya. 23 March 2021.
21. "Elsewedy unit inks project in Kuwait". Zawya. 17 February 2021.
22. "Kuwait inaugurates massive causeway to free trade zone". France24. 1 May 2019.
23. "GE's Gas Turbine Upgrades Increase Output And Efficiency at Kuwait's Sabiya West CCGT 2,000 MW Power Plant". Utilities Middle East. 24 July 2019.
24. "Sabiya West Combined-Cycle Power Plant". NS Energy.
25. "Kuwait's Sabiya Power Plant at Full Power to Meet Country's Summer Peak Electricity Demands". General Electric.
26. "الوطني: 40% منها ترتبط بالبناء والتشييد". Al-Anba (in Arabic). 25 April 2021.
27. "الأشغال: طرح 92 عقداً خلال العام المالي 2021 / 2022". Al-Anba (in Arabic). 2 May 2021.
28. "الأشغال تُسلّم "شركة كوبري" موقع عمل طريق ميناء مبارك - بوبيان مطلع ديسمبر". Al Rai (in Arabic). 22 November 2020.
29. "أكاديمية الكويت لعلوم الإطفاء... الصرح الثالث على مستوى العالم". Al Rai (in Arabic). 18 April 2021. بالإضافة إلى مركزي إطفاء بري وبحري في جزيرة بوبيان في ميناء مبارك، بالتعاون مع وزارة الأشغال
30. "GSAS to be adopted in Kuwait following a strategic partnership between GORD and NTEC". e-mc2.gr. 18 April 2019.
31. "Kuwait International Airport New Terminal". Airport Technology.
32. "Kuwait seeks to list Terminal 2 as environmentally friendly". Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). 8 April 2021.
33. "Eyeing the private sector". Gulf Construction. 1 June 2021.
34. "Kuwaiti airline starts flights to Baku". AzerNews.az. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
35. "Jazeera Airways | Book Our Flights Online & Save | Low-Fares, Offers & More". alternativeairlines.com. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
36. "About Us". kuwaitairways.com. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
37. . 19 May 2017. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
38. Kuwait Metro System, Kuwait City, Kuwait, railway-technology.com, retrieved 16 March 2013
39. "الحكومة تبحث عن كلفة أقل لمشروع سكة الحديد", Al Qabas (in Arabic), 19 July 2021
40. "Kuwait metro procurement to begin soon". Railway Gazette International. 21 February 2012.
41. "Kuwait Quarterly Newsletter - Issue 5" (PDF). RSM International. 9 May 2021. p. 6.
42. "JJTC Private Placement of up to 60mn Ordinary Shares – Offering Memorandum" (PDF). Kamco Invest. 13 April 2021. p. 35.
43. "KAPP - Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System (KMRT)". DMS Projects.
44. "Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System (KMRT)". Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP).

External links

  Media related to Transport in Kuwait at Wikimedia Commons