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Sohar Port and Freezone recently handled its first 10,000 teu container vessel in a landmark event at the Oman International Container Terminal (OICT). With HE Dr Ahmed Mohammed Salem Al-Futausi, Minister of Transport and Communications, watching on, APL’s Savannah berthed at OICT, which is in the process of being significantly expanded.
OICT, part of the HPH global terminal operations group, signed an agreement last year with the port, as a result of which it will occupy a larger 70-hectare terminal site, and its capacity will increase from 800,000 teu to 1.5 million teu a year. Yard space will be more than doubled at the facility, which will be equipped with seven post-panamax quayside container cranes and 15 rubber tyred gantry (RTG) cranes. The water depth alongside the quay wall will also be increased allowing the port to handle ships of 10,000 teu size, as opposed to a maximum of 6500 teu before. Total investment in the expanded OICT is around US$ 130 million.
According to Sohar Port and Freezone chief executive, Andre Toet,”We are committed and geared towards catering for, and creating growth in container traffic. We are in a prime position to attract container lines to channel their North Oman specific boxes through Sohar rather than Jebel Ali or other neighbouring ports.”
A number of leading shipping lines have recently announced timelines for relocating operations from Muscat to Sohar, including Maersk Line, Safmarine and Hyundai Merchant Marine. The Omani Government has set a deadline of August by which time all commercial activity in Muscat must be transferred to Sohar Port and Freezone. This will lead to a significant increase in container traffic at OICT.
By Clive Woodbridge
