Bahrain is planning to boost its maritime and logistics trade with Japan.

A delegation representing the General Organisation of Sea Ports (GOP), the Economic Development Board (EDB)and APM Terminals Bahrain, will visit Tokyo, from today to Wednesday, to promote the kingdom's logistics and maritime credentials and explore bilateral trade opportunities and co-operation in maritime, logistics and related industries.

The delegation is headed by GOP chairman Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa, who has been invited to Japan by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

'Today, the Bahrain maritime and logistics industry has the strength and capabilities to compete on a global level more than ever before,' Shaikh Daij said.

'The Khalifa bin Salman Port and Bahrain Logistics Zone represent a world-class hub at the heart of the trillion-dollar Gulf market.

'With these strong credentials, we are looking forward to visiting Japan, one of the kingdom's key strategic partners, and are confident that the visit will help strengthen economic, trade and investment relations in the maritime and related industries.

The delegation will meet officials from ministries of Foreign Affairs and Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as well as discuss with logistics companies potential business opportunities for them in Bahrain.

The team will also visit the Port of Yokohama on the northwestern edge of the Tokyo Bay.

The highlight of the visit will be a joint GOP-EDB seminar 'Opportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain's Maritime and Logistics Sectors' being organised in co-operation with the Bahraini Embassy in Tokyo tomorrow.

More than 40 companies from various sectors are expected to attend.

In addition, the delegation will host a dinner for top executives from the logistics and related sectors that are keen to explore expansion into Bahrain.

It hopes to build on close commercial and economic relations between the two countries.

Bilateral trade increased by more than 20 per cent to $1.3 billion in 2008, confirming Japan's status as Bahrain's second largest trading partner - only behind the US with which the kingdom has a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Trade relations are expected to grow further with the upcoming GCC-Japan FTA.

Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi, Daiwa Securities, Toyota Training Centre and Nomura have already chosen Bahrain as their regional headquarters.

The GOP continues to promote Bahrain's maritime and logistics industries to facilitate investments from targeted countries.

The visit is first of four international tours planned this year, continuing on from last year's successful road shows in the UK, Germany and the UAE.-TradeArabia News Service