Sohar Bulk Terminal receives its first vessel

This consignment has been chartered by Al Batana Quarries, one of the quarries established for exporting stone aggregates (Ghabro) to Qatar. Al Batinah region has huge potential to offer in this area and is poised for further growth.

Port of Sohar, an ideal gateway to the region, has set up the bulk terminal with a goal of creating required and exclusive infrastructure for bulk minerals which is considered as a very important milestone in the development of Port of Sohar.

The consortium partners Khimji Ramdas Shipping and TMIL have made ready the temporary berth no. 14 for bulk material handling by Port of Sohar. This temporary berth is likely to be operational for the next two years to export and import the full range of bulk minerals such as Gabbro, limestone, laterite, coal, clinker to name a few. By which time at berth no. 25, the permanent terminal will be ready. This terminal will be equipped with ship loader & unloader of very high capacity and also be linked to the yard with 3.50 km long conveyor system. The terminal is being designed for a capacity of approx. 10 MMT.

At the temporary terminal, the bulk minerals shall be handled by ships, but should the throughput volume increase, the consortium is likely to add mobile conveying system to speed up the loading operations. The terminal has about 45000 sqm area for storing the minerals for easy handling.

MC Jose, CEO, Khimji Ramdas Shipping LLC, said, "This latest shipment will herald a new beginning for the bulk terminal operation in Oman and particularly for Quarries in Al Batinah which can look forward to increasing the volume of production and gain a share in the growing aggregate market in Qatar. The 18 meter draft in Sohar will permit the ship-owners to load large vessel to its full capacity. Other ports in the region have draft restrictions and the shipper will have to pay for the void space on board as large and modern ships cannot be loaded to its capacity. This is great advantage for the exporters in the Batinah coast when compared to the exporters in the region. More quantity on single bottom will attract more modern and larger vessels to Sohar at reduced freight rates. Moreover, there is no congestion in Sohar bulk terminal when other terminals in the region are congested with waiting period. User friendly documentation and support from all government authorities are making this port more attractive." he added.

Humaid Al Muslmani, General Manager of Al Batna Quarries mentioned "Our long dream has come true with the first vessel chartered by us for the export of aggregates through sea route directly from Oman. We expect that with enhanced production and requirement at Qatar, we will increase the throughput of the terminal in time."