Monday 01 / July / 2024
Muscat: The official launch of the operational activities of Shinas Port was celebrated on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.
Today, the official launch of the operational operations of Shinas Port was celebrated in continuation of the framework agreement signed between the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and QSS Maritime in August 2023 to develop, manage and operate Shinas Port, under the patronage of His Excellency Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al Kindi, Governor of North Al Batinah.
His Excellency Engineer Khamis bin Mohammed Al Shamakhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Transport, stressed that this celebration comes as a culmination of the efforts made during the last period in terms of receiving and handing over the port and the actual launch of the commercial operational operations of the new company in Shinas Port. It also aims for the company to inform the concerned authorities in the North Batinah Governorate, merchants, business owners and citizens in the governorate in general and the Wilayat of Shinas in particular about the company’s future plans to develop Shinas Port, as the local community is an essential partner in the success and development of commercial operations in the port, which contributes to meeting their future aspirations and creating projects and commercial opportunities in order to contribute to the development of the local economy.
His Excellency explained that the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology hopes that this agreement will contribute to the development of the local economy in the North Al Batinah Governorate in general and the State of Shinas in particular. The company will work in cooperation with everyone to develop the port and the logistics system in general, which will reflect positively in providing job opportunities for job seekers and creating projects and job opportunities for small and medium-sized companies in the wilayat .
Muhanna bin Musa Baqir, Director General of Ports at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said that the strategic direction of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology is based on maximizing the benefit of the country’s infrastructure and expanding the competitive advantage of Omani ports by attracting more foreign investments and international and local partnerships. The logistics strategy sets axes for port growth through increasing capacity, integration between ports, long-term partnerships, foreign investment, and increasing government revenues. In this context, the Ministry sought during the last stage to offer ports, harbors and jetties to the private sector to invest in them through their management, operation and development in accordance with the government’s aspirations to make these ports a major contributor to accelerating the wheel of economic development and an essential axis in attracting investments through the private sector and in the economic diversification plan consistent with the “Oman Vision 2040”
The Director General of Ports added that assigning the management of Shinas Port to QSS Maritime Company makes the port an essential center in North Al Batinah and Buraimi in the field of import and export of small general goods and focusing on the trade of live animals, vegetables, fruits and basic consumer materials, in line with the presence of Port of Sohar and the land border crossings adjacent to the port and in a manner that does not conflict with the basic activities of the Port of Sohar, stimulating the trade in wooden ships and attracting luxury, small and medium tourist yachts. In addition to building a mini dry dock for the maintenance of ships and tourist yachts.
It also aims to build warehouses to store and refrigerate food, meat and fish, and establish light and medium industries by importing goods, creating added value and re-exporting them. In addition to providing marine services in the port or in the berthing areas at sea to include (fueling activity, ship supply activity, crew replacement activity and other services), and taking advantage of the lands and spaces available in the port and adjacent industrial spaces and exploiting them for logistical activities related to medium industries and warehousing to support the port’s activity, in addition to creating added value for the local community to ensure the provision of job opportunities for the people of the region.”
Abdullah bin Hassan Al Muqbali, CEO of QSS Maritime, said, “Shinas Port is one of the most prominent projects of the logistics vision of the North Al Batinah Governorate and a translation of the Oman Vision 2040, which focused on the centrality of the governorate in the field of logistics work and emphasizing the position and competitiveness of the Sultanate of Oman to enhance the integration of Omani ports as an essential pillar within the supply chains that form the backbone of commercial movement and connect the Sultanate of Oman to the world.”
The ceremony witnessed a review of the course of work and the future work plan for operating and developing Shinas Port according to approved work stages, including expanding the port basin, logistics services for ships, establishing a dock for containers and the port and facilitating import and export operations and other service facilities including the establishment of a hotel and veterinary quarantine sites and offering them for investment and other development work plans, in addition to launching the new Shinas Port identity.
