A TRANSFORMATIONAL PORT FOR THE FUTURE

The Port of Duqm is part of Oman’s ambitious Special Economic Zone Authority of Duqm (SEZAD) project. Established with the objective of diversifying the economy, the port is a Greenfield project and is fast emerging as a hub of economic activity thanks to its central location.

Initially meant to primarily serving the upstream oil and gas industry, the multimodal logistics hub also caters to numerous other logistic fields including amongst other mining and fishery.

“Whilst the port has been operational for already 10 years, we have also been ensuring that the infrastructure and superstructure of the port continues to evolve to adapt to the modern needs of the logistic world,” explained CEO, Reggy Vermeulen.

“The industrial zone and port have been built completely from scratch, including a fully operational airport and a heavyduty road network. We’re now at the stage where private sector companies can accelerate their stepping in to build future growth at the port”.

Broad Horizons

Now that the foundations have been made, the Port of Duqm is continuing to evolve for the future.

Throughout 2023, Port of Duqm has several commissions underway to develop the port’s offering.

GAC Oman

The Sultanate’s leading provider of integrated shipping and logistics services for 50 years

A key player in the region since 1972, GAC Oman today is one of the country’s leading shipping and logistics agents, providing a comprehensive portfolio of shipping and logistics services nationwide and operating in the ports of Muscat, Salalah, Sohar, Sur, Khasab and Duqm.

GAC Oman’s in-depth local knowledge, expertise, and global reach offer a one-stop solution for all shipping and logistics needs to support diverse sectors, including Energy, FMCG and Events. From ship agency to related shipping services such as husbandry, launch services and dry docking support, GAC Oman handles all types of vessels. Its end-to-end logistics services include freight services, project logistics, warehousing and distribution, land transportation, ship spares logistics and international moving.

The company is a registered member of Oman Society for Petroleum Services (OPAL) and has been awarded the Compliance Verification Certificate (CVC), which certifies the company’s employment and Health, Safety, and Environment measures meet stringent standards.

Sustainability

GAC Oman undertakes to adopt the vision and goals highlighted in GAC’s Roadmap to Sustainability, which outlines the commitment to “adapt, innovate and reduce” in its activities and working with stakeholders to achieve change towards a sustainable future. The Group’s goals are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and cover three main areas of impact: economic, environmental, and social.

Visit gac.com/oman to learn more about GAC Oman and its operations, or get in touch at +968 2447 7800 / muscat@gac.com.

“The landmark projects of 2023 will be the start up of the container terminal and the refinery,” shared Reggy, “the refinery will eventually attract new investment in the petrochemical downstream industry. We are very excited about this major milestone”.

As part of the port’s development, a focus for the coming years will be its transformation into becoming a green hydrogen hub.

“We have a vision to support the implementation of green hydrogen production projets, which will support our development of a green steel manufacturing industry,” said Reggy.

In turn, Reggy foresees, amongst other, sustainable steel parts for the automotive sector will be produced at the Port of Duqm.

Ensuring the port has a broad horizon of opportunity, 2023 also includes plans to support the startup of the fishery port, which in turn will enable the port to offer a complete value chain from the sourcing to the transformation ending with the export of finished fishery products.

Driving Sustainability

Playing its role within Oman’s 2050 decarbonisation strategy, the Port of Duqm works with its clients on site to ensure that decarbonisation is embedded into their own strategies.

For the port itself, it has worked with the Oman government to procure hybrid cranes and cranes which are regenerating electricity.

From a digitisation perspective, it’s too early for the Port of Duqm to create a fully automated terminal. However, it works with its partners to implement cargo tracking and support client’s digitisation strategies.

Teamwork is Key

Poised to be one of the largest ports in the region, the Port of Duqm and its clients currently accommodates over 5000 employees.

“It may sound cliche, but I truly believe that teamwork is the key to success,” shared Reggy, “I think it’s invaluable to recruit people that are smart in their field and those who can add to my own knowledge”.

Whilst Reggy notes on-the-job training as part of the port’s training development strategy, it also runs an exchange programme with the Port of Antwerp, enabling colleagues to be exposed to best practices.

Colleagues of the Port also have the opportunity to benefit from one of Oman’s many leadership programmes.

During his career, Reggy has had senior roles in businesses across the world, including Nigeria and Vietnam. In fact, Oman is the 10th country of residence for Reggy.

“My experience has certainly allowed me to learn the importance of being culturally sensitive and respectful,” said Reggy.

Prime Position

The Port of Duqm’s vision is to be the preferred multi-purpose port of the region, which through strategy and innovation will unlock the full potential of the SEZAD and support the diversification of Oman’s economy.

“The port is based in a strategic geopolitical position, far removed from the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Gulf. This makes it a secure location for businesses and industries to thrive,” explained Reggy. “The Free-Trade Agreements with the USA and Singapore add further appeal to the port being a prime investment destination for global investors”.

The development of the Port of Duqm has always been an ambitious project. With its growth strategy planned to meet the challenges and support the opportunities of the future, it will continue to be ambitious.

With the buy in and support of the Oman government and key stakeholders, Reggy is positive the plans will be realised.

www.portofduqm.om