Oman Ports Report Significant Growth In Container Handling And Ship Traffic For 2025

The Sultanate of Oman has seen a rise in ship traffic and cargo handling at its ports in the first half of 2025. This growth is attributed to initiatives by the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology aimed at enhancing port infrastructure, as reported by Oman Observer.

Muhanna bin Musa bin Baqer, Director General of Ports at the Ministry, highlighted a notable increase in container handling. "Container handling has witnessed a significant increase, with the total number of containers handled at the ports of Salalah, Sohar and Duqm reaching 2,427,195 TEUs during the first half of 2025, compared to 2,173,508 TEUs in the first half of 2024, achieving a growth of 11.7 percent, reflecting the efficiency of logistics operations and the ports' ability to handle the growing demand."

The number of ships arriving at Omani ports also rose significantly. The total reached 6,586 ships in the first half of 2025, up from 5,930 ships during the same period in 2024. This represents an increase of 11.1 percent. Key contributors to this growth include major ports such as Sultan Qaboos Port, Shinas, and Salalah.

The volume of goods managed through these ports also saw an uptick. During the first six months of 2025, Omani ports handled a total of 70,114,527 tonnes of goods. This marks a rise from 66,620,847 tonnes in the same timeframe last year—a growth rate of 5.2 percent.

Oman's ports have been instrumental in supporting various economic activities efficiently. The number of vehicles received by these ports reached 50,248 units. Additionally, they imported a total of 2,694,293 heads of livestock during this period.

The Ministry's strategic plans for port development are ongoing. Consultancy services for designing and supervising Khor Jarama's development have been awarded to enhance maritime readiness and utilisation. Furthermore, tenders for rehabilitating Shannah and Masirah ports have also been granted.

These developments underscore Oman's commitment to improving its port infrastructure and capacity to meet increasing demands effectively.

With inputs from WAM