MUSCAT -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has commenced the process of developing a major fish harbour at Duqm -- an initiative that promises to impart strong impetus to the commercialisation of the region's prodigious fishery resources. The greenfield fishing port will be an integral part of the Duqm Special Economic Zone (SEZ) encompassing a number of industrial and economic clusters catering to, among other things, refining and petrochemicals, minerals processing, heavy industries, light manufacturing, ship repair services, and leisure and tourism. Anchored by a major port and dry dock complex, the SEZ is expected to evolve into one of the region's largest industrial and maritime hubs.
According to officials, the Duqm Fishing Harbour project will come up near Nafun village, situated some distance north of the current location of the Port of Duqm. Underscoring Duqm's and the Wusta coast's potentially rich fishery wealth, the facility will rank among the largest fishing ports in the Sultanate. It will be designed and constructed to accommodate a mix of commercial and traditional fishing boats that will exploit the region's abundant marine wealth. Plans drawn up by the Ministry envisage a large facility with a pair of breakwater arms extending to a total length of almost 3.5 km. This length may be reduced to 2.8 km if authorities settle for an 'alternative option' for the harbour's design. The breakwaters will be rubble mound type with concrete or stone armour units.
Further, as there is no naturally available depth in the area, the selected contractor will be required to dredge the port basin to -6 metres (or -5 metres under the alternative option). Part of the dredged material will be used to reclaim land. A key component of the project is a 400-metre-long quay wall (200 metres in the alternative option), built with precast concrete blocks. A boat ramp will also be constructed to haul out boats for repairs and maintenance. Also envisioned are a guided floating pontoon, marina facility, two concrete pontoons for fishing vessels, berthing and mooring aids.
A number of local construction firms are lining up to bid for the ministry's contract to build the fishing port.
Bids close on September 10. Well-known engineering consultancy services firm, CES, is supporting the ministry in the design and supervision of the project. Importantly, the harbour project will catalyse the growth of a major fishery industry in Duqm. The facility will anchor Oman's first exclusive fisheries zone where a number of fish processing and related investments will be housed. In line with the SEZ's vision as an export-oriented hub, investments at the fisheries zone will be primarily targeted at overseas markets.
The harbour and fisheries zone will also spur the growth of the aquaculture industry in the Sultanate, given the suitability of much of the governorate's coastal waters for fish farming activities. Additionally, the government is also in the process of establishing a fully state-owned company to invest in fishery-related ventures, officials added.
© Oman Daily Observer 2012
