Israel has announced the opening of a new airport at the tip of the Gulf of Aqaba serving the southern city of Eilat.
Roman Airport will replace the civilian and military Ovda Airport 60km north of the city and will hopefully strengthen Israel’s foothold in a strategic area that’s well placed for multi-modal logistics in a wider region bordered by Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Despite decades-long enmity between Israel and its neighbours, it is expected that Roman could act as a linchpin for cooperation as Jordanian servicing of this area lacks the efficiencies of an airport like Roman.
The airport is also expected to rival the logistics of Saudi’s Red Port city of Dahab.
Air freight to the airport via El Al and Cathay Pacific already seems a strong possibility.
