NAQEL, owned by the Saudi Post (SPL), received royal praise for providing logistics and transport operations for the horses participating in the fourth edition of the Saudi Cup 2023.

The leading logistics and supply chain company in Saudi Arabia is powering ahead with an expansion from its core oil and gas logistic services into other sectors.

Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Equestrian Authority and the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA), commended the company for the quality of its services.

A strategic partnership agreement - to manage the logistics and transportation of horses for the club’s racing seasons for five years - was signed last December between Prince Bandar and Eng Anif bin Ahmed Abanmi, President of SPL and Chairman of NAQEL.

NAQEL transported horses owned by participants from the US, Japan, the UK, the GCC and other countries via cargo planes to Saudi Arabia to participate in the Saudi Cup, held from February 24-25 at King Abdulaziz Square in Janadriyah, Riyadh, under the slogan ‘We race the world’.

NAQEL’s scope of work for the Saudi Cup 2023 included a two-pronged strategy: Firstly, offering quality equestrian logistics services, which were in line with the highest international standards applied in this field; and secondly, completing logistical transport operations for horses as per the schedule and consistent with the terms and conditions of the tournament.

Adnan bin Ibrahim Almazrooa, NAQEL’S Deputy CEO, explained: "The stages in the logistics and transportation of the horses included coordination with the horse owners to transport the horses from the stable to the nearest airport, getting the required certificates, and customs clearance both in Saudi Arabia and the participant’s centuries. The same process was undertaken in reverse order after the end of the tournament to return the horses safely to their home countries."

In addition, Almazrooa mentioned the entire operation used integrated 4PL (fourth-party logistics) logistical solutions developed by NAQEL along with qualified national cadres in line with the goals of Vision 2030.