SOHAR Port and Freezone has sent its clearest message yet that it is ready for the transfer of commercial traffic from Muscat, at an agents meeting designed to showcase how the port’s new world-class terminals will facilitate the move when it takes place later this year. It also provided an opportunity to highlight the global players that have been encouraged to set up operations by 1,000 percent growth.

The meeting was held with less than two months to go before an estimated 300,000 TEU in container traffic, 200,000 freight tonnes of general cargo, and 70,000 cars, make the 200 kilometre migration north from the capital.

SOHARs ambitious vision and growing reputation as a front-runner in global shipping and logistics have already attracted the likes of Hutchison Whampoa, Oiltanking Odfjell, and C. Steinweg to the Port.

The first ever 10,000 TEU container ship to arrive into SOHAR docked last month. Meanwhile a US$130 million expansion of the container terminal is expected to attract further investment in what has quickly become one of the world’s fastest growing port development sites.

As an integral component in SOHAR’s global strategy, the adjacent Freezone has seen an impressive response to the first phase of plans to attract businesses to the region. In all, more than 80 percent of the 500 hectares on offer have been leased, putting plans for the industrial hub three years ahead of schedule.

The meeting was attended by H.E. Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications; SOHAR Port CEO, Andre Toet, Captain Rashid Jamil, CEO of the Oman International Container Terminal, and Arie Koppelaar, CEO of C. Steinweg Oman. A series of presentations were followed by a questions and answers session and a tour through the port to visit the expanded terminal capacity of both terminals.

At the event, SOHAR Freezone CEO, Jamal Aziz remarked: “SOHAR is growing fast, but we are also growing in a way that is sustainable over a longer period of time. This is indeed a new chapter in our history, and I’m sure it won’t be the last“.

“We remain fully committed to assisting Muscat as it embarks on its new era too,” he added.