Muscat: The ports of Sultan Qaboos, Khasab, and Salalah received around 114 cruise ships carrying more than 416,000 tourists in 2024.

Regarding the promotion of maritime tourism, Muhanna bin Musa bin Baqer, Director General of Ports at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said that the Ministry signed a concession agreement last year to develop, manage and operate Suwaiq Port with Asyad Ports.

The agreement aims to expand and develop the port and enable it to receive large vessels and handle all types of goods to keep pace with the growing demand.

The project to develop and expand the container terminal at Salalah Port has been completed, increasing its capacity to 6.5 million TEUs. The project included upgrading the terminal's current berths and expanding storage yards to enable it to accommodate larger container ships with a length exceeding 366 meters and a capacity of more than 14,500 containers, ensuring increased productivity and speedy clearance.

The has signed an agreement for investment in the operation, management, and development of marine services and crew change at Sultan Qaboos Port, which will add commercial activity to this vital port, in addition to its primary role as a tourist port.

He pointed out that these commercial advantages will make it a center of attraction for commercial and tourist vessels, especially as the port is witnessing rapid developments in cooperation with the Asyad and Omran groups.

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