MUSCAT -- A major marketing campaign aimed at attracting international investment to Sohar Port and Freezone, the Sultanate's biggest economic development to date, is due to commence shortly, according to the port's Chief Executive Officer Andre Toet said the multimillion dollar drive will set the stage for a new phase of exponent business growth designed to firmly entrench Sohar as the gateway to the region and the wider world. Toet made the announcement soon after receiving the prestigious 2013 Port Authority Award conferred at the Seatrade Middle Awards ceremony held in Dubai recently. "This a great moment for Sohar," Toet said, in front of a who's who audience of the region's port and logistics companies, including many VIPs from the UAE and around the Gulf region. Other nominated finalists for the Award included Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) and DP World.
The CEO continued: "This is a fantastic accolade for a fantastic location - Sohar is the natural gateway to the Gulf and the world is waking up to us as a prime contender for international businesses targeting the UAE and Saudi." At the red carpet event, Andre Toet announced plans for the next stage of Sohar's exponential growth story. Over the coming weeks, Sohar will launch a multi-million dollar marketing campaign to target international investors for the port and free zone operations in Sohar. The campaign will run under the motto: "Sohar - It all starts here" and will focus on key growth markets in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Because of Sohar's prime position as a deep-water port outside the Strait of Hormuz, coupled with the abundance of low-cost energy and feedstock like petrochemicals, iron and steel and aluminium, the port and associated free zone has seen unparalleled growth over the past ten years.
Sohar now ranks as one of the world's largest port and free zone operations, with total investments worth over $15 billion. The port was launched in 2002 as a joint venture between the Port of Rotterdam and the Government of Oman and the associated free zone was added in 2009. Andre Toet: "We have an obligation to go out and tell the world what is happening in Sohar. This is a real success story for Oman and the Gulf region and the opportunities for new investors coming in are mind boggling. "With our new expressways, coupled with the upcoming GCC railway and Sohar Airport, we are fast becoming the perfect gateway to the Middle East."
© Oman Daily Observer 2013
