Asyad gets approval to operate Port Sultan Qaboos from Jan

Asyad has been granted licence by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) to operate Port Sultan Qaboos, including ship handling from January 1, 2018.

Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications, said, “Obtaining the licence to manage and operate Sultan Qaboos Port by Asyad is a promising strategic step in the operation and management of local and international ports and docks.”

An MoTC statement said Asyad submitted to the ministry an action plan for the management of operations at the port, including the status of workers employed by the Port Services Corporation (PSC), the current operator.

The statement said this step is complementary to Omran’s efforts to develop the Mina Sultan Qaboos Waterfront in partnership with Damac. The project will include tourism and components such as hotels, restaurants, retail outlets and leisure facilities.

The licence granted to the new operator is consistent with the government’s vision to promote investments in the logistics sector, including ports.

The vision includes development of utilities and support services and the opening of wider horizons through partnerships and global business relationships with a longterm strategy to transfer their management expertise and the operation of berths at international ports.

As per its vision, Asyad seeks to emerge among the top ten logistics service providers in the world by 2040 by joining hands with relevant stakeholders to turn the Sultanate into a global hub and contribute to the growth of the national economy.

Asyad will own several logistics warehouses and spaces for light industries.

The ports will serve as a competitive edge for trade routes for Asia, Indian subcontinent, Europe and MENA markets. requests to transport to more than 52 port destinations. The National Logistic Strategy 2040 has identified a number of ambitions in which the share of the logistics sector in GDP is expected to reach RO 14 billion in 2040, with the creation of 300,000 jobs in the sector.

Earlier known as Oman Global Logistics (OGL) Group, Asyad is the holding company formed by Oman government to manage several state-owned firms in transport and logistics sector, including Oman Post, Mwasalat, Port of Duqm, Port of Salalah, Oman Drydock and Sohar Free Zone, among others.