[3][4] The port is part of the Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast to the south via the southern tip of India to Mombasa, from there through the Red Sea via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region to the northern Italian hub of Trieste with its rail connections to Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the North Sea.

[5][6][7] Following the discovery of large oil reserves in the Eastern Province in 1938, the small coastal village of Dammam rapidly developed into a major regional city and important seaport.

All containers bound for the Riyadh Dry Port are directly shifted to the rail stack, where they are loaded on to freight trains.

The 556 kilometer line serves is a major transport route for goods arriving at Dammam to reach the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.

[19] Berths 4 to 13 of the King Abdul Aziz Port are connected to the rail system and are utilized for general cargo.