The Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) today celebrated the opening of 3 new infrastructure projects. They were a multi-purpose marine fishing port, a shipping and customs services terminal, and the two carriageways (roads 1 and 5) at the Port of Duqm.
The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of Lt. Gen. Hassan Mohsin Al Shuraiqi, Inspector General of Police and Customs, and attended by representatives of the public and private sectors.
Eng. Ahmed Ali Akaak, Acting CEO of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, underscored the significance of the new projects in attracting investments to the economic zone. He pointed out that the projects, worth a total of RO 177 million, would help augment the competitiveness of SEZAD to cover fishery and food industries, international shipping, import and export.
Akaak pointed out that fishing port in Duqm is the largest commercial facility of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman. Having an area of 7.5 square kilometres and a depth of 10 metres, the fishing port was e
nvisaged to receive the largest international commercial fishing vessels, he explained.
He added that the fishing port consists of two breakwaters that have a total length of 3.3 km and a collective berth length of 1.3 km. The fishing port boasts six floating berths and a special mooring for police and coastguard patrol boats.
Akaak pointed out that the customs terminal figures in the third package of SEZAD projects. The facility, he said, consists of several buildings within the complex of the Port of Duqm.
Speaking about the carriageways, he said that Road No. (1) extends about 3.93 km and it is a dual carriageway that consists of two opposite lanes, while the dual carriageway Road No. 5 is about 3.3 km long.
The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) designed the fishing port at Duqm to accommodate environmentally friendly green energy projects.
It is worth noting that the fishing port in Duqm is being developed and its commercial facilities are being implemented by ‘Marsa A
l Duqm Investments’, a consortium led by a group of Omani Investment Authority companies. The consortium comprises Fisheries Development Oman (FDO), Asyad Ports company, Al Wusta Fisheries Industries Company and Oman Food Investment Holding company. The consortium also includes French port company Lorient, which runs one of the largest fishing ports in Europe.
SEZAD is setting up many infrastructure projects that keep pace with the expectations of investors. The zone features many investment areas serving industrial, commercial, tourism, logistics, real estate development and renewable energy sectors. Investments are estimated at more than RO 6 billion
Source: Oman News Agency
