Transport_in_Kuwait

Transport in Kuwait

Transport in Kuwait

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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

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

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

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

This is a list of airlines currently operating in Kuwait.

More information Airline, Arabic name ...

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

The Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System Project was a planned four-line metro network covering 160 km with 69 stations.[40] The project was eventually cancelled in 2023, citing financial burden.[41]

See also


References

  1. برنامج كويت التنمية .. ابرز مشاريع التنمية في البلاد, 12 April 2021, archived from the original on 11 December 2021
  2. "TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS". Bureau of Consular Affairs. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  3. "Roads, total network (km)". World Bank. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  4. "Kuwait's traffic nightmare – MPW sees hurdles in executing projects". Kuwait Times. 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  5. "Public Transport Services". Kuwait Public Transportation Company. Archived from the original on 29 April 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  6. "Public Transport Services". KGL. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  7. "China and Kuwait to Build New Port". Port Technology. 21 February 2019.
  8. Ranju Warrier (19 February 2021). "Elsewedy Electric unit bags $53.2m contract for Kuwait's Boubyan substation". Construction Week.
  9. "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
  10. "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
  11. "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
  12. "Eyeing the private sector". Gulf Construction. 1 June 2021.
  13. "Kuwaiti airline starts flights to Baku". AzerNews.az. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  14. "About Us". kuwaitairways.com. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  15. "Kuwait Airways implements new ticketing system | IT & Distribution content from ATWOnline". 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)
  16. Kuwait Metro System, Kuwait City, Kuwait, railway-technology.com, retrieved 16 March 2013
  17. "Financial Burdens Leading To Cancellation Of Kuwait Metro". Arab Times. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2024.

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