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RO81m worth Duqm port road project goes to Strabag Oman

By A. E. JAMES MUSCAT: Strabag Oman won a RO81-million contract to build access roads to Duqm port and dry dock and divert some of the wadis, a senior official of the Ministry of Transport and Communications told Times of Oman.

Said bin Hamdoon Al Harthy, undersecretary for Ports and Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transport and Communications , said that the scope of work include construction of more than 30kms of road, work related to diverting wadis and associated infrastructure development.

Strabag won the keenly-contested road project, pushing aside five other international and local bidders who have submitted several bids, with different options. Although the Turkey-based Assignia Infraestructuras was the lowest bidder with its RO70.65 million bid price, the authorities have awarded it to the second lowest bidder Strabag. Other contracting firms in the race were Consolidated Contracting, Galfar Engineering & Contracting and National United Engineering Constructing.

The $2.6-billion Duqm port is expected to commence operation by the middle of next year. Majority of the tenders has already been awarded to several contracting firms and are under different stages of implementation.

Omani ports
The port, which is between Sultan Qaboos port in Muscat and Salalah Port, will have more than 3,000-metre-long berth.
Speaking at the Oman Transport Infrastructure Summit earlier, Al Harthy said the government is attaching priority for developing several ports, including Duqm, Sohar and small-to-medium ports.

"I think we need to compete with regional and international ports," he said. In this context, Peter Ford, chief executive of Port of Salalah said: "The move of any shipping line from Port of Salalah to another national port has no economic benefit to the country and will result in job losses in Salalah, which is contrary to the government's policy of job creation nationwide."

"We are trying our best to make sure that our ports are ahead in quality, speed and safety," added Al Harthy. Referring to a plan to shift import and export activities of Muscat port to Sohar, Al Harthy said this will be done in a careful manner, and after talking to all parties concerned. "This will benefit the tourism industry."

© Times of Oman 2011