Business & Finance Club - Manama : Bahrain is planning a new industrial city similar to Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Industrial Zone, said a senior government official.

The Industry and Commerce Ministry is now waiting for the winning bidder to submit recommendations and requirements, Minister Dr Hassan Fakhro said.

The best bidder for the new industrial city study project will be selected in the next few days, he added.

Investments into Bahrain’s industrial zones are progressing at a high pace. This has resulted in a continuous decline in the availability of land, leaving Bahrain International Zone at Salman Industrial City with only 10 per cent of land, Dr Fakhro said.

Also, the mainland can cover only 10 per cent of the industrial needs, Dr Fakhro noted.

The ministry is in the process of reclaiming land near Khalifa bin Salman Port and Sitra industrial area, taking into account environmental concerns, he said.