• Port Management Programme to bring SOHAR, government officials together for learning


• SOHAR Freezone CEO says driving economy and succession planning among key focuses


• Full operations to be showcased as leaders look to a bright future for maritime industry

SOHAR Port and Freezone CEO Jamal Aziz has said that driving the growth of Oman’s economy and serving the wider GCC region remains the top priority for the logistics giant, as it gears up for its third annual Port and Freezone Management Programme for governmental entities. The four-day programme will be held on 18-21 May 2015, and will engage participants on what it takes to manage a successful shipping business. 



The programme will bring government entities from Sohar and Muscat together to focus on success stories at SOHAR as it has attracted US$21 billion in investment. Initiated by the One-Stop-Shop Customer Service Department at SOHAR, the programme also aims to increase the ease of doing business.



“It is a familiar story, but SOHAR really is growing at a tremendous pace. As we grow, we learn, and passing that knowledge on is something that we see as being fundamental to the growth of the Omani economy, its businesses, industries, and supply chains. In this sense, the programme can also support job creation and the realisation of the vision of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos of a modern diversified economy,” said Mr Aziz. 



Ongoing infrastructure developments and investment, particularly in the food cluster, plus the prospects on offer through increasingly multimodal connectivity at SOHAR, are expected to be among the main talking points, as are recently announced plans to grow container capacity to 6 million TEU by 2019. Land and marine operations, and maintenance at SOHAR, which boasts terminals that handle over 50 million tonnes of cargo, will offer further insights into project management and technical procedures at the logistics hub.



During the programme participants will also have the opportunity to meet and discuss port management with SOHAR Port CEO, Andre Toet, and Freezone CEO, Jamal Aziz. The programme will conclude with a de-brief in which participants will be able to share what they have learned and discuss future opportunities.



Note to editors about SOHAR Port and Freezone



SOHAR Port and Freezone is a deep sea port and free zone in the Middle East, situated in the Sultanate of Oman around 200 kilometres northwest of its capital Muscat. With current investments exceeding US$21 billion, it is one of the world\`s largest port and free zone developments and lies at the centre of global trade routes between Europe and Asia. SOHAR provides unequalled access to booming Gulf economies while avoiding the additional costs of passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The existing road network and airport and the future rail system provide direct connectivity to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, as well as to the rest of the world. Equipped with deep-water jetties capable of handling the world’s largest ships, SOHAR has leading global partners that operate its container, dry bulk, liquid and gas terminals including Hutchison Whampoa, C. Steinweg Oman, Oiltanking Odfjell and Svitzer. SOHAR Port and Freezone is managed by Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIPC), a joint venture between the Port of Rotterdam and the Sultanate of Oman.