Port of Duqm Company (PDC) and Duqm Ahlia Development have signed a 25-year land lease agreement for a 5ha plot in the Port of Duqm concession area. It is an important milestone in the further development of the activities for both companies in the Sultanate.

Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the PDC said in a statement that this agreements comes within the framework of supporting the local community through Duqm Ahlia Development.

Dr al-Futaisi pointed out that the works at the port are constantly progressing as the first three months of 2016 witnessed an increase in the activity of ports of Duqm, Sohar and Salalah compared to the same period last year. He explained that such remarkable increasing activity of the Omani ports reflects the continuity of trade activity despite the oil prices slump.

The agreement is very important for the Port of Duqm, as Duqm Ahlia is the first company, which will provide warehousing and general logistic services in the Duqm Port logistic area, including trucking and customs clearance activities for a multiple of industries. The plot is strategically positioned in close proximity to the Port’s commercial quay from where the majority of the goods will be imported and re-exported.

Duqm Ahlia Development is a joint-stock company established by residents of the Wilayat of Duqm with the clear aim to support the development of the Duqm Special Economic Zone mega-project and make the residents of the wilayat partners in this economic renaissance that the government plans for. This step will help the citizens of the wilayat and make it easier for all those wishing to support the local community there as this company shall be the melting pot through which government and private support would reach the largest possible number of people from the local community in the wilayat. Apart from pure logistics services, Duqm Ahlia Development also offers a wide range of ship support services, which they also intend to develop further in the Duqm area.

Reggy Vermeulen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Port of Duqm stated, “Port of Duqm is proud to support the Duqm Ahlia Development as one of the first and major private local investors in the Duqm logistics area. Their project will substantially contribute in the further development of Duqm as a major attraction point for logistical and industrial activities.”

Sheikh Taher bin Mabkhout al-Junaibi, CEO of Duqm Ahlia Development commented on the event, “This agreement comes as a culmination of cooperation between Port of Duqm Co. and Duqm Ahlia Development Company since the start of the initial operations of the port four years ago by providing logistic services for the port and to the companies operating in the oil and gas sector in the Sultanate. The company has also signed an agreement with Mohsin Haider Darwish Logistics Company to establish a logistics company specialized in transport and warehousing, shipping and customs clearance under the name of ‘Al Duqm Al Ahlia Logistics SAOC’ which is a 50:50 ownership between both companies. The new company will build multiple stores in the ports logistics zone this year”.

Duqm port lies officially under the management of Port of Duqm Company (PDC), a 50:50 joint venture between the Omani Government and the Consortium Antwerp Port (CAP).

PDC has 3 major roles in Duqm, first the management and the terminal operation of the Port itself, secondly, the management of all logistic zones in the direct vicinity of the port. Thirdly, PDC is also financing, developing, managing and marketing 2000ha of industrial and petrochemical zone. These zones enjoy an optimal integration with the Port of Duqm.