SOHAR Port and Freezone and Hormuz Marine have signed a bunkering agreement which will see the launch of bunkering services at Sohar Port.
The agreement comes in response to the growing need for offshore refueling, allowing vessels to bunker efficiently and speed up global shipping times at the port.
The flexible service from Hormuz Marine will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide and operate a 8000 MT tanker capable of delivering several grades of marine fuel to ships in port each day, planning to start by mid of September.
By signing this agreement, SOHAR Port is able to meet the demands of a time-sensitive industry in order to improve the efficiency of the port.
Batti Al Shibli, Harbour Master at SOHAR Port and Freezone, said, “We are delighted to welcome Hormuz Marine to the Port of Sohar. Their expertise in providing an essential service will be vital to our future growth as we look to attract more vessels taking marine services and increase the cargo traffic visiting Sohar. Bunker quality is essential to maintaining efficiency and enabling vessels to meet regulations and tight timeframes. The new service is an incredibly valuable addition to the Port’s one-stop-shop marine services available to all visiting ships.”
Sulaiman Al Hadhrami, CEO of Hormuz Marine, said, “Our experience in managing a crucial element of the marine supply chain will allow the Port of Sohar to increase its level of service for vessels of all sizes. We’re able to deliver VLSFO, HFO, MGO and LSMGO at competitive rates to manage the fuel requirements of ships as they unload or pass through Sohar without the need to remain in port. The Port of Sohar is one of Oman’s most important industrial gateways and this service will enhance its reputation as an attractive port of call and add to the Sultanate’s position as a word renowned shipping location.
As one of the fastest-growing ports in the world, SOHAR Port and Freezone continues to leverage on its strategic location and enhance its services, positioning itself as a key logistics hub within the region and across the world.
A powerful combination of the expertise of the Port of Rotterdam and the government of the Sultanate of Oman, represented by ASYAD, it is earmarked as one of the Sultanate’s mega-projects, home to logistics, petrochemicals and metal clusters, as well as the region’s first dedicated agro-terminal.
Today, after 17 years of operation, it serves as the main gateway for import and export in Oman, contributing 2.8 per cent of the country’s GDP and almost 26,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. With a focus on sustainable development and cutting-edge technology, it is leading the development and modernization of the Sultanate’s logistics infrastructure and supporting the economic diversification objectives of Oman’s 2040 Vision.
