Oman's ports – adding value to the economy

Maritime ports dominated Oman’s trade in 2024, accounting for around OMR 16.5 billion or 77% of the country’s total import and export trade.

Muhanna bin Musa Baqer, Director General of Ports at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said that Oman's ports play a central role in facilitating trade between the Sultanate and countries around the world. They are among the key enablers of economic diversification and have aligned with the rapid growth of regional and global economies by maintaining a strong presence on international shipping routes, he added.

Muhanna Baqer said that in 2024 Omani ports saw a notable increase in the handling of general, bulk and liquid cargo, passing 137 million tonnes – a 15% rise compared to 119 million tonnes in 2023.

Bulk cargo handled at Sohar Port rose by 72%. Cargo volume also increased at both Salalah and Suwaiq Ports by 10% each. Duqm Port achieved a remarkable 152% increase in the volume of all types of cargo (general, liquid and bulk), reflecting improved operations and rising demand for the port’s integrated services.

He said that Omani ports also saw a rise in vessel calls in 2024, exceeding 12,000 ships—a 1.5% increase. Around 4.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) were handled at Salalah and Sohar Ports, with approximately 3.3 million TEUs at Salalah and more than 942,000 TEUs at Sohar.

On the development of maritime tourism, the Director General said that the ports of Sultan Qaboos, Khasab and Salalah welcomed around 114 cruise ships in 2024, carrying more than 416,000 tourists. These ports also received over 4 million head of livestock.

Regarding port expansion and service upgrades, he added that the Ministry signed a concession agreement last year with Asyad Ports to develop, manage and operate Suwaiq Port. The agreement aims to expand and upgrade the port to accommodate larger vessels and handle all types of cargo to meet growing demand.

The container terminal expansion project at Salalah Port has been completed, increasing its handling capacity to 6.5 million TEUs. The project involved upgrading existing berths and expanding storage yards, enabling the port to accommodate larger container ships over 366 metres in length with capacities exceeding 14,500 containers. This is expected to boost productivity and streamline clearance processes.

Muhanna Baqer added that the Ministry’s signing of a framework agreement to invest in the operation, management and development of marine services and crew changes at Sultan Qaboos Port will add commercial activities to this vital port in addition to its primary role as a tourism hub.

These new commercial services will enhance the port’s attractiveness to commercial and cruise ships, especially as it continues to undergo rapid development in cooperation with the Asyad and Omran groups.