SAL lands in Europe, Gulftainer adds new Gulf link + Bahri delivers records results

SAL closes its Belgian buy

SAL finalizes Aviapartner takeover to expand into Europe: SAL Saudi Logistics Services completed the SAR 120 mn (EUR 28 mn) acquisition of Belgium’s logistics firm Aviapartner Liege, marking its first operational presence outside Saudi Arabia and expanding its network to 20 stations, according to a press release (pdf).

REMEMBER- The two firms inked the sale and purchase agreement in March. The acquisition gives SAL an operating base at Liege Airport, Europe’s fifth-largest cargo hub by freight volume, and access to freight flows across Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Luxembourg.

Gulftainer adds Dammam to its feeder map

Another Gulf feeder service calls at Dammam: Saudi Arabia’s Mawani has added Gulftainer Lines' intra-Gulf service to King Abdulaziz Port, linking Dammam with Sharjah and Iraq's Umm Qasr. The service can carry up to 550 TEUs per sailing, according to a post on X.

Bahri turns tight markets into record revenue

Higher freight rates and stronger demand lifted Bahri’s earnings to a new record. The Saudi shipping major’s net income surged 574% y-o-y to nearly SAR 2.8 bn in 2Q 2026, while revenue climbed 156% to SAR 6.3 bn, according to a press release.

Behind the numbers: Bahri Oil was the main earnings driver, benefiting from sharply higher freight rates and increased charter-in activity to meet stronger customer demand. Chemicals, dry bulk, logistics, and marine services also contributed to revenue growth.

On a six-months basis: Bahri’s net income rose 421% y-o-y to SAR 4.9 bn, while revenues increased 144% to SAR 11.3 bn. The firm expanded its owned fleet to a record 107 vessels after acquiring five chemical tankers and divesting an older VLCC.