Port of Sohar signs expansion agreement
Handling capacity for port will go up to 1,500,000 TEU
Oman’s Port of Sohar has signed an expansion agreement.
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Muscat’s Port of Sohar announced that it has completed an important milestone last month to further its reputation as a cargo gateway for Oman and the GCC.
The container-terminal operator Hutchinson Whampoa has signed a development agreement to establish a new 70-hectare container terminal for Oman International Container Terminal. This will raise capacity from 800,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) to 1,500,000 TEU.
The current terminal can handle ships up to 6,500 TEU, and thanks to the deep draft and the new cranes, handling capacity will go up to 10,000-11,000 TEU ships. This will put Sohar in a competitive position for shipping lines to bring their cargoes with direct lines to Oman, the port operator said.
The agreement was signed by Sultan al Habsi, chairman of the board, and Andre Toet, CEO, representing Sohar Industrial Port Co, and Andy Tsoi, CEO of Oman International Container Terminal. The construction of the terminal is expected to start in the first months of 2013 in order to ensure a soft opening towards the end of this year.
Three new Post-Panamax cranes are expected to reach Sohar by this summer. This will expand the total capacity of the terminal and increase the vessel capacity that can be served by Sohar.
