EMEA News
SOHAR Port and Freezone Looks to Boost Bunkering Services
Amid regional economic expansion driven in part by lower oil prices, SOHAR Port and Freezone (SOHAR) is looking to upgrade and expand its bunker services, the organization has told Ship & Bunker.
SOHAR has issued a tender to seek interested parties to assist with the bunkering expansion, which can be viewed on Ship & Bunker here.
"There are certainly some external factors that are currently influencing growth: the general level of global economic uncertainty and historically low oil prices that are affecting all the GCC economies. However, those same low oil prices are acting as a catalyst to spur on economic diversification across the region," said Mark Geilenkirchen, CEO at SOHAR.
"The whole Middle East is moving from an economic base powered by oil and gas exports to one that is fuelled by knowledge, and this diversification is driving investment with an upside for our business in SOHAR."
The port's newly expanded anchorage features vessel waiting and servicing areas, dedicated areas for bunker and ship-to-ship operations, and marine services, including lubricant supply, remote hull cleaning, tug towage, linesmen services, pilotage, and crew change services.
"Today, SOHAR is one of the world's fastest growing port and free zone developments and is really establishing itself as the region's challenger brand," said Geilenkirchen.
"All over the world, people in our industry are sitting up and taking notice of what we're doing here. Investments at SOHAR reached a staggering $26 billion last year, which is more than the GDP of some smaller European countries."
SOHAR says its Innovation Zone will place a particular focus on sustainability, drawing its electricity needs from renewable sources, rather than the national power grid.
"In SOHAR we always say 'it all starts here' and that has never been more true than now: 2017 promises to be our most exciting year ever," concludes Geilenkirchen.
