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The Port of Salalah completed its first ship to ship (STS) transfer operation at Salalah anchorage recently as part of the port’s strategy for expanding the range of services offered in 2018. The new service was performed by one of the world leaders in STS, Fendercare Marine, which transferred vegetable oil between the vessels NCC Nasma and Ariana while both were in the harbour.
Port of Salalah chief executive, Andrew Dawes, said: “Our vision is to make our customers’ supply chains work better, more efficiently and safer. Our new offering of ship to ship transfer of bulk liquids is designed to serve both the regional market and also Africa’s growing economic demands.”
After a period of research, Fendercare identified an opportunity for opening a new STS base at Salalah as part of its expanding network. The initial operation was judged to have been a success, it said. The company aims to establish Salalah as a key STS location, supporting the regional oil and gas markets.
The Port of Salalah is reported to be working on a number of new business opportunities in addition to this STS initiative. These value added services are intended to help contribute to the growth of the shipping and logistics sector in Oman, which the Government sees as one of the pillars of local economic growth and diversification.
Strategically located alongside the main trade routes between Asia and Europe, and serving the markets of East Africa, the Red Sea, the Indian Subcontinent and the Arabian Gulf, the Port of Salalah is operated by APM Terminals as part of its global terminal network. In 2017, the port handled record volumes in both the container and the general cargo sectors, achieving growth rates of 18.7 % and 4.2 % respectively.
