Bahrain–Italy trade rises to $791mln

TDT | Manama

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Trade between Bahrain and Italy reached $791 million in 2024, up 20 per cent on 2020. More than 130 Italian firms now operate in the kingdom.

Racing Force anchors the industrial link. The Bell Racing Helmets plant in Sakhir opened in 2015 with $13 million.

Output

In November 2024, it added 12,000 square metres, doubling output, and the group announced an OMP facility for racing safety gear.

About 70 per cent of Formula 1 drivers use helmets made in Bahrain.

Consumer brands have followed the money.

Nadh Holding brought La Romana Gelato, founded in Rimini in 1947, to Bahrain with up to $5 million of investment and plans to expand into other Gulf markets from a Bahrain base.

Energy and technology ties run through partnerships.

Eni has worked with Bahrain on exploration, production and technical exchange. Firms active in metals and petrochemicals have added projects.

Technology and services companies have grown their footprint, helped by rules that allow 100 per cent foreign ownership of companies and real estate in most sectors.

Demands

Trade flows in 2024 show where demand sits.

Aluminium fluoride led imports from Italy at $31 million despite a 30 per cent fall on the year.

Leather handbags accounted for about 4 per cent of imports. Large-capacity passenger cars rose by 92 per cent compared with 2023.

On the export side, unwrought aluminium to Italy totalled $145 million. Exports Aluminium alloys made up roughly 43 per cent of exports, and large-diameter non-alloy aluminium wire rose by 3,662 per cent.

Scope for further trade is mapped out by the International Trade Centre with Export Bahrain.

Potential Bahraini exports to Italy include direct reduced iron, aluminium wire and agglomerated iron ores.

On the import side, openings include pharmaceuticals, cheese and gas-turbine spare parts.

Diplomatic ties

The commercial track sits on long-running diplomatic ties. Relations began in 1973. The Italian embassy opened in Manama in 2002.

An agreement on investment protection followed in 2006, then an accord on equal treatment in port taxes and fees in 2009.

A Bahrain–Italy Joint Committee was set up in 2021, met first in Rome in 2023 and adopted a three-year plan for economic co-operation.

In January 2025, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Bahrain and signed digital and technology agreements, including Italian sovereignty over data stored in Bahraini data centres.