Sohar Port and Freezone kicks off first phase of expansion

October 17, 2017: Oman’s Sohar Port and Freezone has reportedly stated that the first phase of its expansion plan is expected to commence soon.

The expansion is part of the freezone’s long-term move to grow the vital industrial and maritime hub by as much as 50 per cent, a report said.

According to officials, the current expansion project, dubbed Sohar Port South, envisages the dredging and reclamation of a waterfront area on the southern boundaries of the hub, say media reports.

As a first step in the implementation of this development, Sohar Port and Freezone floated a tender recently, inviting local and international consultants to prequalify for its contract to provide consultancy services as well as the front-end engineering design (FEED) on its Sohar Port South expansion.

Overseeing the Sohar Port South expansion is Sohar International Development Company (SIDC), a 50-50 joint venture between the Omani government, represented by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and the Port of Rotterdam.

The mega expansion is expected to add a further 200 hectares of land to Sohar Port’s present capacity of around 2,000 hectares.