05/04/2024

Saudi Arabia remains one of the most attractive destinations for the development of exports of industrial and agro-industrial companies in the Russian capital.

In general, Russia and Saudi Arabia plan to increase trade turnover between the countries to $7 billion by 2030.

What does Russia mainly export to Saudi Arabia?

First of all, petroleum products. But the transportation of goods associated with such cargo is carried out by giant companies.

Secondly, agricultural products. For example, wheat, meslin, poultry.
Not only large businesses are already operating here, but also medium-sized ones.
Russia also supplies electrical, medical and optical equipment, plastics and confectionery to Saudi Arabia.

What goods does Russia import from Saudi Arabia?

First of all, these are goods such as chemical products and food products. Crustaceans, soft drinks and dates account for a large share of the supply.

What about logistics?

The countries cooperate in many areas, but, for example, there is no direct air service. Most often, cargo travels either by sea or multimodal.

The port infrastructure in Saudi Arabia is well developed. Key cargo ports are Dammam, Jubail, Jeddah and Yanbu al-Bahr.

But the delivery time of goods depends on the chosen sea route, transshipment ports and final point.

For example, on the Novorossiysk – Jeddah route, cargo travels by sea for 25-30 days. But if the cargo leaves St. Petersburg, then the delivery time increases to 40 days.

Connecting flights are used for air delivery of cargo. But it is worth remembering that not all types of cargo can be delivered this way. In addition, there are very strict rules for documents and permits. Approximate delivery times for goods: 2-5 days.
But not many companies use this method because the rules are too strict. Moreover, documents are needed from both the sender and the recipient. For example, in order to transport chemicals, say, for use in agricultural activities, the recipient company must provide all documents about the purpose of using these products in the country.

The third method of cargo delivery is multimodal. The route is laid along the eastern branch of the North-South ITC and includes sea and railway branches.
The advantages of this cargo delivery option are in price. The disadvantages are the timing.

Bottom line

Saudi Arabia is a difficult region for business development. But if you are willing to work hard to get lucrative contracts and develop relationships with reliable partners, then it’s worth it.

You need to be prepared for long negotiations, and personal ones, and not through correspondence. It is worth studying the culture, etiquette and nuances of Saudi Arabian legislation. He who does not take risks does not succeed in anything.

There are no impossible tasks. And if you are aiming to cooperate with companies from this country, then why not give it a try?