Sohar Port witnesses 13% increase in Cargo Handling

Sohar: The cargo handling service at Sohar Port witnessed an increase during the Q3 2023 through three main stations for handling various goods in cooperation with various specialized international companies, which are the liquid bulk products station, the solid bulk products and vehicles station, and the container station.

Butti bin Mohammed Al-Shibli, Port Director at Sohar Port and Free Zone, explained to the Oman News Agency that there was an increase in indicators and statistics of the port’s cargo handling service until the third quarter of this year, as liquid bulk products, including liquid goods transported in large quantities, witnessed an increase of 13 percent to reach 18 million metric tons, compared to 16 million metric tons last year.

He added that the number of ships arriving at the port increased by 2 percent, with 2,427 ships compared to 2,384 ships in 2022, and the increase in ship arrivals is a tangible indicator of the level of the port’s activity and its ability to deal with goods effectively.

Compared to the year 2022, the port also witnessed a significant increase of 4 percent in the number of ro-ro ships, which is a means of transporting goods that uses cargo ships designed to transport wheeled goods, including cars, trucks, construction equipment, etc.

The port also witnessed a 1.3 percent increase until the end of October compared to the year. Last to reach 64.4 million metric tons. Regarding the partners and cooperators in the handling service, Al-Shibli explained that there are international companies present in Sohar Port, including ADVARIO Company, which specializes in handling liquid bulk goods, C-Stanwich Oman Company, which specializes in handling solid bulk goods, and Hutchison Ports Company, which specializes in handling containers.

The director of the port at Sohar Port and Free Zone indicated that three agreements for maritime services have been signed since the beginning of the year until today, and three other agreements will be signed before the end of the current year.

These agreements will provide a number of maritime services for ships and sailors, making Sohar Port a station for marine services. This, in turn, will reflect positively on improving the quality of services provided by the port. These services include fueling ships, transshipment for transporting goods by sea, cleaning services for the hull and tanks of multiple ships, a club with a duty-free market, and a specialized clinic for sailors.