The government of Oman has announced plans to build an automated container terminal at Sohar Port, capable of handling five million TEUs per year, reported the Times of Oman.
The current capacity of the port stands at around two million TEUs and operates at near-capacity, so the expansion in handling capabilities is much needed. Driven by the decision to move all commercial traffic away from Muscat, Sohar Port has seen record traffic figures as a result.
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Funded by the government and built by Oman International Container Terminal, the eventual operator, the new Terminal D will allow Oman to take advantage of its strategic location at the mouth of the Persian Gulf in the Indian Ocean.
The port, which sits in a 4,500 hectare freezone, has already attracted investment of US$25 billion, such as a $60 million large rare-earth-metal plant and 200,000 capacity car assembly plant,.
The expansion of container handling capacity is seen as a natural extension of the region’s business ambitions.
