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Oman’s Port of Duqm has handled a first consignment of containers for the French carrier, CMA CGM. The boxes, transporting project cargo for Sebacic Oman, were carried by Oman Container Line’s Oman Express Feeder Line service. The cargo in the containers originated from China and they were transshipped via another regional port.
Port of Duqm received the containers at its provisional container terminal from where they will be delivered to Sebacic Oman’s site. A full scale container terminal is currently under construction and will be commissioned in the course of 2019. Reggie Vermeulen, general manager, Port of Duqm, said, “We are delighted that CMA CGM has registered Duqm as a new destination in its vast network. We are confident that other shipping lines will follow soon, given the steep container volume increases we expect to be developed in and around Duqm in the years to come.”
Oman Container Line is a subsidiary of Oman Shipping Company (OSC). Tarik Al Junaidi, chief executive of OSC, said he expected regular container traffic to Duqm from now onwards. As a result the company is planning a weekly connection to Duqm port, as soon as volumes justify.
Pradeep Nair, chief executive of Sebacic Oman, which is building an acid plant in the port zone, concluded: “We are happy that this new service will allow us to import containers via sea which will reduce cargo movement over Oman roads substantially. This will be much safer and more cost efficient. Our plant will be operational by the end of 2017 and we will generate substantial containerised volumes which could also be handled by the same logistic partners.”
