Port of Salalah inaugurates new cargo terminal

A deep water general cargo and liquid bulk terminal opened at the Port of Salalah, allowing the port to handle 20 million more tons of dry cargo and six million more tons of liquid bulk cargo each year.    The Port of Salalah, which is situated in southern Oman along the Arabian Sea, has opened a new deep water general cargo and liquid bulk terminal, the port and operator APM Terminals jointly announced.
   The new terminal’s 1,266-meter quay with an 18-meter depth features two 320-meter long general cargo berths and two 300-meter long liquid bulk berths.
   With the addition of the new terminal, the port is now equipped to handle 20 million more tons of dry cargo and six million more tons of liquid bulk cargo each year.
   The Government of Oman built the terminal at a cost of 55 million Omani Rials (U.S. $143 million).
   “The new facility is able to handle a wide range of vessels, ranging from naval ships, to vessels handling limestone, cement, livestock, project cargo and other dry bulk commodities as Salalah continues to grow as a key center of trade and logistics for the region,” Port of Salalah CEO David Gledhill said in a statement.
   “A dedicated pipe corridor links the new liquid bulk terminal directly with one of our customers operating within the port, and in the future, an extension will connect with the Salalah Free Zone where new customers are setting up their plants,” added Port of Salalah Deputy CEO Ahmed Akaak. 
   The Port of Salalah’s principle shareholders include APM Terminals (30 percent), the Government of Oman (20 percent), government pension funds and PASI (23 percent), institutional investors (19 percent) and others (8 percent).