Maritime
industry leaders from Oman will head to Seatrade Middle East Maritime
(SMEM) 2012 next month as the country’s key northern port of Sohar
confidently moves ahead with its ambitious expansion plans.
With investments exceeding
US$14 billion and one of the largest port development projects in the
world, the port of Sohar, along with the Sohar Free Zone, have teamed
up in a bid to promote business
opportunities as both facilities undergo
expansion, with the port facility a hub for chemical trading.
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“Sohar
Port has benefited from increased fiscal support from an Oman
government, keen to capitalise on the country’s strategic location
and the potential economic windfall that could realise, including a
boost for Omani employment,” said Chris Hayman, Chairman of
Seatrade, the organisers of Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2012, which
will provide a focused showcase for the Omani port.
In
the last five years, Sohar Port has seen steady growth in throughput,
with an increase of over 100% in 2011, as well as vessel call growth,
which rose by 34% in 2011 against 2010 figures. This has been
prompted by regional economic recovery resulting in an increase in
the handling of steel and gas-related products, as well as the launch
of a new liquid terminal jetty operation.
2011
was also an important year for dry bulk throughputs with the launch
of new production line facilities. Jindal Shadeed Steel went into
full production in 2011 and Brazilian mining giant Vale, which now
has its regional headquarters in Sohar has commissioned its first
production line.
Commenting
on the benefits that the increased growth of the port and free zone
would bring to the local area, Sohar Port CEO, Andre Toet said at a
public-private sector meeting earlier this year, “Oman has not been
hit so much by the global recession, as many other countries.”
Representatives
from Oman Drydock Company - including Sheikh Khalil Al-Salmi, Deputy
CEO, Oman Drydock Company, who will be speaking at the Seatrade
opening conference keynote session – along with Sohar Port and key
government representatives will showcase wider development plans for
the sector, which has been further boosted by news that the
government has upped 2013 budget spending on infrastructure -
including ports - by 10%.
Seatrade
Middle East Maritime 2012, is the premier regional
maritime event. The sixth edition of the exhibition and conference
will be held in Dubai from November 27-29, at the Dubai World
Trade Centre. The biennial event is set to welcome
a high profile audience of regional and international experts for
three days of business, discussion and networking covering industry
operations and topical issues from commercial marine to offshore,
ports, piracy and energy services.
In
Oman’s southern coast port of Salalah, a key distribution location
for the growing markets of
East Africa, India and the Middle East, demand from
international corporations looking
to set up operations has begun to accelerate as increased
co-operation between the port, free zone and airport – which will
open a new terminal in 2014 – offers a
multi-layered synergistic hub connecting Oman to the world.
“The
Port of Salalah, combined with the Salalah Free Zone and Salalah
Airport, form an ideal location for the value-add and distribution
services that we have launched this year under the umbrella brand the
Salalah Hub,” said Port of Salalah CEO, Peter Ford.
A
number of major agreements for both the port and the free zone have
also been signed this year, with global players including US Gypsum,
DHL and Spanish logistics company Algraposa, incentivised by the
world class container
port and expansion of the general cargo terminal in progress. The
expectation is that there will be substantial growth in cargo volumes
and local
job creation
with these top companies taking advantage of Oman's best hub
infrastructure.
