The new maritime trade route between the State of Kuwait and the UAE will boost commercial exchange and strategic ties, said a state official on Wednesday.

Speaking to the press while inaugurating the new route between the Kuwait's Shuwaikh and the UAE's Khalifa ports, Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Communications Affairs Fahad Al-Shula said that the new route would shorten transport period for cargo and goods to one day instead of five days via land.

He indicated that the Interior Ministry, Kuwait Customs, and the Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA) had agreed to coordinate on eliminating all obstacles facing the transportation of cargo.

He tasked the KPA to sign deals and agreements with other GCCs entities to ensure smooth commercial exchange and cooperation amongst countries in the region.

On his part, Matar Al-Neyadi -- the UAE Ambassador to Kuwait -- said that cargo of fresh goods and foodstuff would benefit highly from the new maritime route, affirming that the opening of the path would also have a positive impact on the cost of transportation.

The shipping process would be carried out weekly, boosting movement of goods, revealed the Ambassador, adding that would be carried out in a door-to-door mechanism wherein the goods would leave warehouses in the UAE and head straight forward to the ones in Kuwait and vice versa.

The UAE diplomat said that the volume of commercial exchange last year had reached around USD one billion.

He expected that the number would rise this year in light of support reflected by the two countries.

The "SS ANIA" vessel docked in Shuwaikh port earlier today to kick start the new maritime route aimed at transporting vehicles and rolled products, which cannot be transported via containers.