SOHAR Executive Commercial Manager Edwin Lammers has hailed the progress made in advancing the logistical hubs’ economic interests around the world, and emphasised the importance of pressing forward with national infrastructure projects that allow it to offer unrivalled connectivity across the GCC region.



“SOHAR has developed an outstanding reputation with the world’s commercial giants, and together with the Port of Rotterdam, is expanding its presence in Europe and Asia. Latin America also looms large on the horizon after Port of Rotterdam acquired a major stake in a new green field project called Porto Central.”



“While primarily a venture between Port of Rotterdam and Brazilian firm TPK Logistica SA, the similarities between SOHAR and the Latin American port are striking. Like SOHAR, Porto Central is designed to serve oil and gas, mining, and agricultural industries. It will also double up as an offshore supply base with state-of-the-art container and general cargo terminals charged with handling cars, steel, and ornamental rocks.”



“Leveraging on common denominators will go a long way towards ensuring SOHAR and Oman are able to capitalise on revenue streams emerging from Brazil’s growing economy,” said an upbeat Mr. Lammers.



Fresh from engagements with senior government and private sector officials in the Far East, Mr. Lammers was one of a handful of speakers at the Oman Projects Forum 2014, and seized the opportunity to engage the nation’s top project owners, contractors, consultants, and financiers on projects much closer to home.

                             

“Next year over 2,000 ships will call at SOHAR. Those docking at the container terminal will bring with them a combined capacity of almost 1.2 million TEU. We are also planning for growth across all other cargo types and continue to do so alongside some very exciting developments in road, rail and air transport sectors.”



“Transport links are the lifeblood of any port and freezone development strategy, and will pave the way for exponential growth and propel Oman’s economy to new heights. They will also ensure the nation’s logistics sector can sustain our plans for increasing scale and cutting the cost of transporting goods through Oman.”



In addition to growing cargo volumes, Mr. Lammers emphasised his personal desire to see SOHAR achieve its full potential and progress from its current state as a feeder port, into a hub for ships plying global trade routes. With one eye on the second offering that is in the pipeline for the hugely popular Freezone, ongoing expansion projects in petrochemical, metals and agricultural sectors also featured highly on his agenda.



“The Middle East continues to present tremendous opportunities for foreign investment and our aim is to harness the strategic location of SOHAR; its competitive energy rates and skilled workforce, and ensure opportunities come directly to Oman. This will create space for downstream and service industries in Oman and stimulate employment opportunities that increasing appeal to Oman’s budding young entrepreneurs.”



“This process has already begun to take shape in the petrochemicals cluster at SOHAR, where expansion of the Orpic refinery from 120,000 to 180,000 barrels a day is being undertaken alongside innovative projects that are creating demand for skilled jobs in metals and agricultural sectors, to name just a few industries.”