Muscat – QS Maritime, the operator of Oman’s Shinas Port, is set to commence development work at the port before the end of this year, with investments exceeding RO77mn. The project is expected to take between five and seven years to complete.

In a statement to the Oman News Agency, Eng Abdul Baqi al Kindi, CEO of QS Maritime, said the contract would be awarded to a company specialising in port and marine development. The first phase will involve expanding the port’s existing basin to the south, along with the construction of a new breakwater on the northern side. These developments aim to accommodate larger vessels and improve the port’s operational efficiency.

He added that the port’s area has been expanded to approximately 1.8mn sqm, in preparation for promising projects, including the construction of fuel storage tanks, factories, and a range of warehouses targeting both re-export and the local market.

Kindi revealed that the sea route between Shinas Port and Bandar Abbas Port in Iran will commence operations in the final quarter of this year. The company investing in the passenger service will operate two weekly trips using ferries with a capacity of 200 passengers and their vehicles.

He confirmed that the passenger terminal at the port is ready, with security inspection preparations nearing completion.

He noted that Shinas Port saw significant growth in commercial activity during the first quarter of 2025. The number of visiting ships rose to 306, compared to 119 in the same period of 2024. The volume of imported and exported livestock also increased, reaching 25,944, up from 9,057 in the first quarter of the previous year.

He further explained that total cargo handled through the port exceeded 186,000 tonnes, surpassing the combined total for the previous two years. The goods included building materials such as cement and iron, foodstuffs, general cargo, as well as livestock and camels.

Regarding transshipment operations, Kindi said 42 were carried out in the first quarter of this year, with a total volume exceeding 173,000 tonnes. These comprised 40 liquid cargo operations and two bunkering operations. This exceeds the total transshipment volume for 2024, reinforcing Shinas Port’s role as a growing logistics hub along the Sea of Oman.