The Manama harbor, where Mina Salman is now located, was first mentioned in Islamic texts that have been dated to 1345 AD. The area was occupied in 1521 by the Portuguese, and the Persians gained control in 1602. The current Al Khalifa dynasty have ruled the country since 1783. The harbor was not suitable for ocean liners, with reports of ships having to anchor up to 6 km offshore. In 1958, it became a free port and in 1962, a deep water wharf composed of six berths was constructed. In the 1960s, the port had refrigeration, storage facilities and equipment for handling large ships.
In 1975, 1.5 million tons of cargo was handled in the port, which led to severe overcrowding. This led the Bahraini government to launch a series of expansions in the next decade, including the opening of the Mina Salman Container Terminal in 1979. The port was also the only port in the Persian Gulf to be completely operated by citizens, rather than foreign workers. Over 75% of the port's cargo is containerized.
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