Leading consultant KPMG has been appointed to lead the development of Kuwait Ports Authority’s new strategic plan. Under the deal, KPMG will deliver the strategic consulting engagement, with leading Dutch group Haskoning Nederland BV and Dar Gulf Consult providing engineering consulting support to boost the competitiveness of Kuwait’s commercial ports.
As per the deal, KPMG in Kuwait will integrate the three firms’ contributions into a unified strategic plan, leading market, commercial and organizational analysis, strategy development, as well as the implementation.
The mandate comprises two complementary workstreams. The first will cover strategy development, planning and implementation framework, including an assessment of KPA’s market position and current performance.
Strategic options and a roadmap will be translated into detailed functional plans, supported by key performance indicators, a risk framework and a monitoring plan.
The second workstream will establish a Strategic Technical Support Office for 36 months. Led by KPMG, the office will provide strategic oversight, technical advisory and integrated project management support to KPA.
KPMG said they will work together to develop a strategy aimed at strengthening the competitiveness, connectivity and performance of Kuwait’s commercial ports, it stated.
Commenting on the mandate, Dr. Rasheed Al Qenae, Managing Partner, KPMG in Kuwait, said: "Kuwait’s ports are central to the nation’s economic diversification and its Vision 2035 ambition to become a regional trade and logistics hub. We are honoured by the trust KPA has placed in KPMG. This mandate reflects our long-standing commitment to Kuwait’s public sector and to the institutions shaping the country’s future."
The strategy will also address KPA’s position in an increasingly competitive regional ports landscape.
Sameer Bhatnagar, Partner and Global Head of Ports, KPMG, said: "Ports across the GCC are competing hard on capacity, connectivity and service. KPA has a real opportunity to strengthen Kuwait’s place in global shipping networks. Drawing on KPMG’s work with more than 50 global and regional maritime players, we will bring international best practice to a strategy built for Kuwait."
Imran Shaik, Associate Partner, Head of Government & Infrastructure Advisory Services, KPMG in Kuwait, pointed out that this connection between planning and delivery was central to the engagement.
"KPA has a clear ambition for Kuwait’s ports, and together with Haskoning and Gulf Consult, we will help shape it into an achievable strategy. Through a dedicated Strategic Technical Support Office, we will work alongside KPA’s teams to turn that strategy into projects, decisions and measurable results," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
