Omani ports to get competitive edge under new agreement

Muscat: Complementing the efforts made by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) to maximise the benefit from the infrastructure in the Sultanate of Oman and expand the competitive advantage of Omani ports,today, Wednesday, the Ministry signed a framework agreement with QSS Maritime to develop, manage and operate Shinas Port in the Ministry's General Office in Al Khuwair.

The agreement was signed by: His Excellency the Minister, Eng. Saeed bin Hamoud Al-Ma’awali, on behalf of the company, Mr. Abdul-Baqi bin Ahmed Al-Kindi, the CEO of the company.

This agreement comes as part of the ministry's efforts to attract more foreign investments and international and local partnerships specialised in the management and operation of ports and harbors. It states that the company will develop, manage and operate Shinas Port through (3) phases; the first stage includes the formation of a committee to receive and hand over the port, and in the second stage, the development, management and operation of Shinas Port will begin as of the first of November of this year.

During this stage, the company will prepare a commercial and marketing plan and the new master plan for the port for a period of (8 months), according to The final negotiations shall begin during the third phase for a period of (12 months) as a prelude to reaching the signing of a long-term agreement to develop, manage and operate the port for a period of thirty years.

It is worth noting that the company (QSS Maritime) is a consortium of local and international companies (Quartet Solutions Company, Dunes Petroleum Company and SS Maritime Company), as the foreign partner (SS Maritime) is an Indian company headquartered in the Republic of India and was established in 1990 and has multiple activities. With a good reputation in the field of managing and operating ports and managing more than (7) terminals in many ports.