By Tanisha Mohanty
Oman is pitching Sohar Port as a new gateway for Indian logistic firms and businesses amidst the Iran-US crises, providing access to the Gulf energy resources. Oman is seeking to strengthen ties with India and promote its economic infrastructure.
In a recent roadshow organised in New Delhi, Ambassador of Oman to India, Issa Saleh Abdullah Alshibani, stated, “Sohar and most of the ports of Oman are now becoming a great gateway for so much of Indian manufacturing expansion towards Oman, the Middle East and also the wider region.”
The two-day roadshow, organised by the Omanian Embassy, aimed at introducing the Sohar port and Freezone to create more opportunities and create partnership opportunities with Indian businesses and logistics operators.
Located on the Gulf of Oman, and seeing an influx of cargo owing to geo-political tensions, Raid Al Rubaiey, CEO of Sohar Freezone, also said India plays a crucial role in the growth of Sohar’s “international investment landscape”. According to Rubaiey, the port can handle 72 million tonnes of cargo yearly, and has received 30 billion dollars worth of investment.
Sohar port has become a strategic stronghold for Oman as the Strait of Hormuz is inaccessible now. The port’s advantage lies in its location in the northeast and pipeline connections to countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
The Naveen Jindal group, which runs a 2 million ton per annum (MTPA) steel factory, is a significant Indian presence in the port and freezone. The area’s importance is growing steadily, with the Oman-UAE rail expected to function by 2028.
Developed by the ASYAD Group and the Port of Rotterdam, the Embassy of Oman referred to the port as a “mega project” which provides a “comprehensive range of services, including logistics, petrochemicals, and metals”. Additionally, it offers the first agribulk port in the Gulf region.