RO 60m contract awarded for Duqm fishery port

August 25: Well-known Omani construction firm Galfar Engineering & Contracting announced yesterday that it was been awarded a contract valued at RO 60.693 million for the establishment of a major fishery port at the Special Economic Zone at Duqm.

The facility, which will anchor a world-scale Industrial Fisheries Cluster at Duqm, is expected to be largest fish harbour project in the Sultanate.

The SEZ Authority of Duqm (SEZAD) is overseeing the implementation of the project on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Aside from dredging and reclamation, the contract also includes the construction of breakwaters, quay walls and concrete floating pontoons with berthing facilities. Roads leading to the harbour facility are envisioned as well.

Plans drawn up by the Ministry envisage a large facility with a pair of breakwater arms extending to a total length of almost 3.5 kilometres. A key component of the project is a 400-metre-long quay wall (200 metres in the alternative option), built with precast concrete blocks.

A boat ramp will also be constructed to haul out boats for repairs and maintenance.

The adjacent Industrial Fisheries Cluster will be designed to attract investments in processing plants, cold stores, training centres, and quality testing laboratories. As many as 60 processing plants can be housed within the fisheries hub in the initial phases of its development.

Significantly, the hub is key to the government’s long-term strategy to support the growth of a sustainable fisheries sector in the Sultanate. The strategy aims to maximize socioeconomic returns to Omanis engaged in the country’s fisheries sector, strengthen food security, generate jobs for nationals, and facilitate the introduction of technology and innovation in the industry.

The Duqm Industrial Fisheries Zone has been highlighted as a unique opportunity for Oman to bring about a sea-change in the contribution of the fisheries sector to the national economy. The project is proposed to be modelled on the cluster concept which will allow for the hub to grow exponentially.

Work on the fishery port is targeted for completion by 2019-end.