Agreement signed with Dutch dredging company for the development of the first 50 ha of allotted land
Reflecting the rapid growth within Oman’s logistics sector, SOHAR Port and Freezone have signed an agreement with Dredging International– Earth Moving Worldwide (DI-EMW) for the development of Phase 1 of the Sohar Port South Construction Package I.
Totalling an investment of US$ 24mn, the agreement will see the development of the first 50 hectares of available land within the new port expansion; which is expected to be fully completed by Q4-2018.
The agreement was sealed at a recent ceremony held at SOHAR Port and Freezone head office. Signing the agreement on behalf of SOHAR was the CEO, Mark Geilenkirchen, and DCEO- CEO SOHAR Freezone, Jamal Aziz; while DI-EMW were represented by Alberto Mino, Area Manager of Dredging International, and Yves Aertssen, Director of the EMW group.
“The SOHAR Port South Development will support increased trade flows in the Sultanate and will allow shipping lines to launch more direct calls to the port. The added land area at the port will significantly boost our abilities to handle larger volumes of cargo traffic as well as create new and sustainable jobs in Sohar,” commented Mark Geilenkirchen.
The First Phase includes the engineering, land reclamation and stabilisation, and construction of approximately the 50 hectares of usable land within the port area, together with soil improvement, 1,310m of shoreline protection, storm water drainage and navigation aids.
The vital reclamation project will facilitate the ever-increasing demand for space at SOHAR and will involve over 750,000m3 of earthworks in order to reclaim the area from the sea. Another major task of the construction process is the 1,310m shoreline protection, which will require in excess of 450,000 tonnes of rock.
“The expansion of the port’s planned infrastructure is a key factor that will continue to support SOHAR and Oman’s rapidly growing logistics sector over the coming years. DI-EMW will continue to support the growth of companies in the Sultanate and the region as a whole,” added Yves Aertssen.
