Saudi is Bahrain’s top market as trade hits $3.9bln in 2024

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain – Sauditrade reached about $3.9 billion in 2024, with Bahrain exporting roughly $2.9 billion to Saudi Arabia and importing around $1 billion.

The totals place Saudi Arabia as Bahrain’s largest trading partner and a main route for Bahraini goods into other markets.

Exports

Bahrain’s exports to Saudi Arabia are led by raw aluminium and downstream products, semi-finished iron and other metals, and refined petroleum products.

Saudi sales to Bahrain are dominated by energy and petroleum products, heavy equipment, basic chemicals and raw plastics, pointing to a well-matched industrial base on both sides.

Room for growth lies in shared value chains across aluminium, steel and refining.

Scope

Tourism also offers scope, supported by Saudi Arabia’s wider opening under Vision 2030, with cross-border trips, joint events and hospitality know-how likely to play a part. Transport and logistics carry much of the load.

The King Fahd Causeway is the main artery today; the proposed King Hamad Causeway is expected to ease movement further and lower costs.

Growth track

Financial services and technology add another growth track as both countries move towards digital payments and FinTech.

Data outline untapped export openings for Bahrain into the Saudi market. Non-alloy aluminium wire over 7mm shows potential of up to US$92m; bridges and sections about $88 million; processed cheese $55 million; and composite plastics and rubber roughly $14 million.

Other lines include rigid PVC pipes ($11 million), stranded aluminium wire ($6.8 million), aluminium-steel stranded wire ($6.4 million), 7mm aluminium-alloy wire ($6 million), unwrought aluminium alloys ($3.8 million) and welded iron angles, shapes and sections ($428,000).

Import

On the import side, openings for Bahrain from Saudi Arabia include fresh whole poultry with headroom of about $21 million; surface-active preparations and retail detergents at around $19 million; and non-monetary raw gold at a similar level.

Bars and rods of non-alloy iron or steel present scope of roughly $13 million, while cement clinker stands near $12 million.