| Port of Salalah | |
| Country: |  Oman |
| Location: | Raysut, Salalah, Dhofar Governorate |
| Opened: | November 1998 |
| Operated: | Salalah Port Services Company (S.A.O.G.) |
| Owner: | Government of Oman, APM Terminals and other Omani Investors (Joint Venture) |
| Type: | Seaport |
| Berths: | 6 |
| Employees: | 2200 |
| Website: | https://salalahport.com.om |
The Port of Salalah is the largest port in Oman and has been in operation since 1998. Situated in the Dhofar Governorate, on the Arabian Sea which is on the northern part of the Indian Ocean, it is centrally located at the crossroads of trade between Asia and Europe. With over 2.5 billion consumers, it serves the markets of East Africa, the Red Sea, the Indian Subcontinent and the Arabian/Persian Gulf on its doorstep.
The port is part of the Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region of Trieste with its rail connections to Central and Eastern Europe.[1] [2] [3]
In 2009, a container ship that had departed from this Oman port was hijacked by Somalian pirates.
| Period | Events/Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre 1970 | Goods arrive to and from the Governorate of Dhofar through rudimentary infrastructure. Large vessels were unloaded through offshore launches and feeders, which were unloaded to the port. The method is difficult, especially during the monsoon season (Khareef) from June through September. | |
| 1971-1974 | Government of Oman initiates development of Raysut Port (Port of Salalah) located 20 km at the outskirt of Salalah. Port infrastructure is improved costing approximately US$11.5 million, and accommodates vessels up to 4 meter draft. | |
| 1976-present | 93% of the port was financed | |
| 1981 | Phase 3 of Raysut Port establishes a container terminal equipped with one 35 ton gantry crane at a cost of approx. US$ 9 million. The development supports the government's second 5-Year Plan to further the country's economic growth via international maritime transportation. | |
| 1996- | The Government of Oman and between Maersk Line, Sealand, and a few private institutions, agree to jointly invest in the development of Raysut Port into a world-class container terminal. Port of Salalah Container Terminal is inaugurated November 1998 and wins Best Investment Project in Oman Award | |
| 1999 | Port of Salalah sets a world record for productivity with more than 250 berth moves per hour | |
| 2000 | Bunkering facilities are completed. General Cargo Terminal comes under Port of Salalah management | |
| 2001 | Community focus: Summer Internship program is launched | |
| 2002 | Volumes in Container Terminal exceed design capacity for the first time |
The port has been managed by APM Terminals, the Danish terminal operating company, since 1998. The operating company, Salalah Port Services Company (S.A.O.G.), is listed on the Muscat Securities Market.
The port operates both a container terminal and a general cargo terminal, and serves the local and regional community.
The port was formerly known as Raysut Harbour or Mina' Raysut or Port Raysut. It can accommodate large vessels up to 16m draft. It is the main Container Transhipment Terminal of the region.