Duqm special economic zone authority on Wednesday signed a OMR199.1 million-engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Boskalis Westminster (Oman) for building a liquid berth at Duqm. The planned liquid berth will enable Duqm Port to export refined petroleum products and add value in hydrocarbon chain.
As per the agreement, Boskalis Westminster (Oman) will carry out detailed engineering designs, construction of marine infrastructure, and dredging and reclamation works, while Worley Parsons Engineering will oversee the engineering and construction works of the project scheduled to be ready within 32 months from the date of awarding.
The construction of the project will be through a team of specialists from Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (Sezad), Worley Parsons Company, and Duqm Refinery.
Under the agreement, 2.4 kilometres of the 4.6kms of secondary wave breakwater will be developed and reclaimed for the construction of the liquid quay, and a dual berth marina will be constructed with accessories and navigation equipment.
Yahya bin Said bin Abdullah Al Jabri, chairman of Sezad, signed the agreement with Neil Haworth, general manager of Boskalis Westminster (Oman).
The scope of work include excavation of about 26 million cubic metres for deepening the basin and track channel at the port, which leads to the liquid dock to reach 18 metres. About 5 million cubic metres of these materials will be used to reclaim and fill the site dedicated to the quay.
The agreement also provides for the construction of the quay wall of one kilometre and installation of buoys and navigational aids devices.
After completing the liquid berth, oil tanks and warehouses for bulk materials and facilities will be built by Duqm Refinery on the reclaimed land to export refined products from Duqm Refinery and petrochemical industries. Refined products to be handled at the berth will include naphtha, aviation fuel, diesel, high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO), liquefied petroleum gas, coke and sulfur.
Duqm Port is currently witnessing the implementation of several infrastructure projects, including a commercial terminal, which includes the construction of roads and commercial gateway of commercial dock, inspection area, trucks registration building, customs building and other buildings related to the clearing work of commercial terminal.
The port also witnesses the construction of the commercial quay for the collection of containers and construction of buildings and workshops for the operation of the dock, cranes and service roads on the dock, the infrastructure of the government berth, the first integrated berth implemented in the Omani ports to serve government agencies.
Duqm Port has a unique geographical location close to the international shipping lines and African and Asian markets. The total length of breakwater is about 8.7 kilometres. The depth of the port basin is 18 metres and the entry channel is 19 metres. This would qualify the port to receive and handle giant container vessels.