Duqm – Karwa Motors celebrated the official opening of its bus factory in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm on Thursday.

The ceremony was held under the patronage of H E Sultan Salim al Habsi, Minister of Finance, in the presence of Ali Ahmed al Kuwari, Qatari Minister of Finance.

Built on an area of 568,000sqm, the factory is designed to manufacture three different types of buses – city, school and intercity – ranging in size from 8m to 12m. “The factory is equipped to manufacture electric buses in the future. Its facilities have been designed to go with the trends and the changes taking place in this sector,” said Ibrahim bin Ali al Balushi, CEO of Karwa Motors.

The production capacity of the factory is 700 buses per year. Capacity can be increased to six buses per day by increasing the number of working hours and shifts. The factory’s workfloors, facilities and service stations are designed to accommodate additional production lines in the future, Balushi added.

Dr Saad bin Ahmed al Muhannadi, chairman of Karwa Motors, informed that the company is the product of strategic partnerships between Oman and Qatar which reflect the strength of political, economic and commercial ties between the two countries.

Karwa Motors is an investment of RO71mn, of which Oman Investment Authority owns 30 per cent and Mowasalat Qatar, the state-owned transport company of Qatar, has a share of 70 per cent.

Balushi added that the company is distinct from other factories in the region owing to its high-tech production lines, quality inspection facilities and tests that ensure high quality of products.

Founded with the aim of transferring bus manufacturing technologies to Oman, making it a manufacturing hub, Karwa Motors aids in enhancing added local value and localisation of industry, contributing to development and economic diversification in the sultanate.

Karwa Motors recently started exporting the first batch of buses to Qatar for World Cup 2022.