Kuwait has formally launched the execution phase of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project on Boubyan Island after signing an engineering, supply and construction (EPC) contract with a major Chinese state-owned contractor, marking a key milestone in the country’s drive to reposition itself as a regional logistics and trade hub.
The contract was signed under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who attended the ceremony alongside senior ministers and officials. The agreement was inked by Nora Al-Mashaan and Chen Zhong, deputy chairman of China Communications Construction Company.
In remarks at the event, Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah said the agreement reflects the depth of Kuwait–China relations, which he described as built on historic ties, mutual political respect and aligned strategic interests. He added that the port contract represents a concrete step toward elevating bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, grounded in long-term economic cooperation and large-scale infrastructure development.
The signing coincided with the second anniversary of the Amir’s accession to power, a moment the prime minister said symbolised Kuwait’s commitment to delivering “qualitative development achievements” aligned with national priorities.
Officials described Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port as one of the strategic pillars of Kuwait’s economic development, expected to strengthen the country’s position in regional and international trade and integrate it more deeply into global supply chains. The project is a core component of New Kuwait Vision 2035, which seeks to diversify the economy, raise national income and create high-quality employment beyond the hydrocarbons sector.
Minister Nora Al-Mashaan said the project would serve as a modern logistics and services hub, contributing to the overhaul of Kuwait’s maritime transport infrastructure and boosting the operational capacity and efficiency of national ports. She described the agreement as a cornerstone in translating bilateral memorandum of understanding into tangible, economy-shaping projects.
From the Chinese side, acting chargé d’affaires Lie Xiang said the project forms part of cooperation under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, while Chen Zhong pledged that the company would adhere to the highest technical and operational standards in executing the “mega venture.”
The port’s location on Boubyan Island, near key shipping routes at the northern entrance to the Gulf, gives it strategic significance as a potential gateway linking Gulf trade with Iraq, Iran and wider Asian and European markets.
The ceremony was attended by senior members of Kuwait’s leadership, including Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister; Shareeda Al-Mousherji, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs; and Abdulaziz Dekheel Al-Dekheel, head of the Prime Minister’s Diwan.
Their presence underscored the project’s national importance and the political weight behind Kuwait’s strategy to leverage ports, logistics and trade infrastructure as engines of long-term growth.
As construction moves forward, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port is expected to become a flagship project in Kuwait–China economic cooperation and a central pillar in Kuwait’s ambition to emerge as a competitive logistics and supply-chain hub in the Gulf.
