Friday 17 / May / 2024
Muscat: Omani ports, represented by the Port of Sultan Qaboos , Port of Salalah, Port of Duqm, the Port of Khasab, Port of Shinas and the Port of Al Suwaiq, handled during the year 2023 over 93. 2 million tonnes of cargo compared to 91. 8 million tonnes approximately handled during 2022, an increase of 1.5 percent in handling the general goods, liquid and bulk solid goods in 2023.
The Omani ports received during 2023 as many as 11,005 ships compared to 10,553 ships in 2022, an increase of 4. 3 percent.
Ports of Sultan Qaboos, Salalah and Khasab saw a noticeable increase in the number of passengers through cruise vessels, thanks to the government efforts and the government tourism partners in terms of working on the increase of movement of cruise ships to the Sultanate of Oman besides the government’s success in attracting the mega companies operating the tourism ships to many Omani ports including the ports of Salalah, Khasab and Sultan Qaboos.
Statistics showed that 229 cruise ships with 599,000 passengers arrived in the Sultanate in 2023 compared to 87 ships with over 205,000 passengers in 2022, an increase of 190 percent in the number of passengers.
An agreement on management, operation and rehabilitation of Shinas Port has been signed with Quartet Solutions Company (QSS Maritime) in August 2023.
The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology has announced the Port of Dhalkout for investment in public auctions for the private sector to manage, operate and develop the port.
The ministry has also announced in 2023 four auctions for provision of maritime services at Port Sultan Qaboos and negotiations are currently going on with the qualified companies.
