Salalah to be developed as a multi-modal logistics hub

September 13, 2017: The authorities are looking at developing Salalah as a multi-modal logistics hub.

The Sultanate of Oman has the infrastructure and capability to make it flourish on the synergy between the port, airport and free zone reports the Oman Tribune.

Quoting Ahmed Ali Akaak, Deputy CEO, Port of Salalah, the report elaborated on the strategy the officials are working on to develop cargo business at Salalah airport. He added that they have the capability to do this at Salalah airport and the port.

The implementation of this strategy is critical, and once it gains momentum, there would be more freighters flying from Salalah to other parts of the region. It takes only a five-hour distance from Africa and the Far East and six hours to Europe and in the middle of emerging markets that can be served.

Once synergy could be achieved between the airport, free zone and port through a unified strategy, these assets could be utilised by the country to anchor more enterprises and look for more business opportunities. Within Asyad (Oman Global Logistics Group) they were working collectively to find ways in which the logistic sector could be utilised to attract investment into the country.

The port of Salalah has enough capacity for liquids storage. During the first half of 2017, the port had witnessed marginal volume growth at the container terminal (CT) and marginal drop in general cargo terminal (GCT) volumes compared to the corresponding period last year.But from mid-year, there had been a significant recovery.

Consolidation in the shipping industry and competition from the region had caused some decline in business. Higher productivity, reliability, strategically located and global standards put the Port of Salalah in an advantageous position.