The growing importance of ports in Sultanate
The events recently witnessed in the Gulf region underlined the importance of Omani sea and air ports and their rising global importance in providing logistics support and services to international institutions and companies despite the conflicts and wars raging in the region in the south and north of the Arabian Peninsula. This has led some countries injecting more funds to establish large-scale economic projects to benefit from the marine zones and projects that will be established in those ports, with some developing different scenarios to benefit from those ports in the event of any wars in the region.
Today, Omani ports are the focus of the world. There is continuous growth in their daily business due to the growing number of vessels docking at and departing from these ports. Many countries hope to enhance cooperation with the Sultanate based on the strategic importance of these ports and their locations extending from the north of Musandam Governorate to the south of Dhofar Governorate.
During the Oman Ports Conference held recently in Muscat, a number of port representatives and experts from friendly countries emphasised the importance of enhancing cooperation with the authorities in the Sultanate to develop the infrastructure of Omani ports and explore investment opportunities in these ports due to their proximity to the Strait of Hormuz and the open seas especially since measures taken by the government under ‘Tanfeedh’ programme are bearing fruit.
The conference made several important recommendations to strengthen the infrastructure of Omani ports, including rapid establishment of maritime trade corridors with emerging markets in order to benefit from the high economic growth rates in these countries and to achieve the desired economic returns.
This is in addition to enhancing businesses supporting these ports as well as adopting modern technologies to manage the sector, which helps simplify procedures and boost maritime trade.
The aim of this activity is to launch promotional campaigns for Omani ports abroad in order to familiarise investors with the elements of the Sultanate and attract shipping lines and capital to the country.
Omani ports have contributed to globalisation, trade and global economy. This requires strengthening of the national efforts to further develop and enhance this sector and its specialties, including shipping, unloading, submerging, transit and tourism, as well as striving to achieve integration to carry the fruits of this cooperation to all Oman’s governorates.
On its part, the government has taken interest in the logistics sector, while the private sector has started playing its role in boosting the direct import operations.
The Minister of Transport and Communications highlighted the role of ports in the Sultanate’s Five-Year Plans over the past years to promote economic diversification. He noted that during the preparation of growth strategies, MoTC ensured to benefit not only the short-term economic cycle, but also the growth prospects of global economy.
MoTC is also formulating strategies that are of interest to the sector as a maritime country with extended coastlines, in addition to employing modern technologies to enhance commercial disciplines, attract more investments to achieve economic recovery, and take new steps to enter new markets whether through Oman’s non-oil exports, or the use of these ports in the process of re-export (transit).
A number of countries have expressed cooperation with the Sultanate in this vital sector, which is gradually growing and is keeping pace with the operating systems used in international ports.
However, it is necessary to explore more opportunities for cooperation and investment in Omani ports and airports, and the need to connect the Sultanate’s ports to each other through modern technologies, before linking with Asian ports, as well as continuing to develop the Sultanate’s logistics strategy.