Muscat – DHL Express, the world’s leading logistics provider, celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony of its new state-of-the-art gateway facility at the Muscat International Airport on Sunday. The ceremony was held under the patronage of H E Eng Saeed bin Hamoud al Maawali, Minister of Transportation, Communications and Information Technology.

H E Eng Omar bin Hamdan bin Hamoud al-Ismaili, Executive President of the Transportation Regulatory Authority, Sheikh Aimen bin Ahmed al Hosani, Chief Executive Officer of the Oman Airports Management Company, Nour Suliman, Chief Executive Officer of DHL Express MENA, and Moustafa Osman, Country Manager, DHL Oman were also among the distinguished attendees.

The ceremony marked a significant milestone in DHL’s commitment to strengthening its footprint and service offerings in Oman.

The new facility, representing an investment of more than €30mn (approximately RO12.4mn) over 20 years, will serve as a comprehensive logistics hub encompassing a service centre, gateway for import and export shipments, customs clearance capabilities, and a dedicated country office for DHL Express Oman.

“This groundbreaking ceremony represents a new chapter in our commitment to the sultanate,” Nour Suliman, CEO of DHL Express MENA, said in a press statement. “Our new, ultramodern facility signifies our unwavering confidence in Oman’s economic potential and our dedication to providing world-class logistics solutions that will empower businesses of all sizes in the country to flourish in the global marketplace.”

Spanning a plot size of 12,621 sqm and featuring an expansive built-up area of 8,074 sqm, the new gateway will cater to the growing needs of over 4,200 DHL customers in Oman. It will boast a processing capacity of 2,400 shipments per hour, ensuring fast and efficient handling of both domestic and international shipments.

The new DHL Express Gateway will be equipped with several cutting-edge features to ascertain efficient operations. At its core lies an intelligent countrywide distribution centre featuring an intelligent bi-directional conveyor system that can seamlessly process up to 3,000 shipments per hour. In-house customs clearance, bonded storage, and a direct vehicle loading facility will further streamline processing, while a logistics fulfilment and storage centre will offer tailored solutions for select customers.

As highlighted by Suliman, the new gateway has been designed with a keen focus on sustainability. “The new gateway will incorporate sustainable features like solar power generation, energy-efficient lighting, and state-of-the-art climate control systems. This reflects our dedication to environmental responsibility and positions us as a leader in sustainable logistics.”