Peter T. Leach, Senior Editor | May 04, 2012 3:39PM EDT
The Omani Ministry of Transport and Communications has awarded a $143 million contract for the construction of a new general cargo and liquid bulk terminal that will double the general-cargo handling capacity of the Port of Salalah.
The new terminal, to be built by Netherlands-based marine contractor Archirodon Construction, will increase the port’s dry bulk cargo handling capacity to 20 million metric tons and liquid cargo to over six million metric tons annually.
Salalah currently has a general cargo handling capacity of 5.5 million metric tons.
“The general cargo business has been growing rapidly here, and this new expansion will play a significant role in serving the continued development of businesses in Oman and the surrounding region,” said Port of Salalah CEO, Peter Ford.
The expansion of the general-cargo terminal includes the construction of an additional 1,200 meters of multi-purpose berth with a 59-foot draft and liquid commodity loading facilities.
The new liquids terminal will significantly expand Salalah’s role in handling industrial commodities, including fuel, methanol, monoethylene glycol and caustic soda.
Major dry bulk commodities handled at Salalah include limestone, gypsum and cement as well as plastics.
Salalah, the second-largest container port in the Middle East Region in terms of volume, handled 3.2 million 20-foot-equivalent units in 2011. Now in its 14th year of operation, the Port of Salalah will handle its 30 millionth TEU this month with the first eastbound call of the G6 Alliance’s Asia-Europe string.
Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @petertleach.
