Madrid, Spain – His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and King Felipe VI of the Kingdom of Spain exchanged titles and commemorative gifts at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid on the occasion of the former’s state visit to Spain.

In a gesture reflecting the relations between the two nations, His Majesty the Sultan conferred upon King Felipe VI the Order of Al Said. His Majesty further bestowed upon Queen Letizia the First Class Order of Oman, and presented Omani Royal Orders to Spanish dignitaries.

In a reciprocal gesture, King Felipe VI conferred upon His Majesty the Sultan the Order of Isabella, the highest royal decoration of the Kingdom of Spain, honouring him and in affirmation of the enduring strength of bilateral relations between the two nations.

The King of Spain also honoured members of the official delegation accompanying His Majesty the Sultan with royal decorations. 

Additionally, the two sides exchanged commemorative gifts.

Oman, Spain sign four MoUs

Oman and Spain signed four memoranda of understanding to enhance cooperation in green methanol, liquefied natural gas, water and sanitation management, and the development of trade and investment relations between the business sectors of the two countries. 

The first MoU was signed between Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services, and Navigation. It aims to expand cooperation between the private sectors in both countries, encourage the exchange of trade delegations, organize joint exhibitions and seminars, exchange economic and commercial information, and support bilateral investments.

The second MoU, signed by Nama Water Services with the Spanish company ‘Aguas de Valencia’, aims to enhance cooperation in water and wastewater management and implement innovative solutions based on artificial intelligence to improve service quality, reduce water loss, and enhance infrastructure efficiency.

Under this MoU, a pilot project for leak detection in the water network of Nama Water Services will be implemented, along with a study of non-revenue water from technical, commercial, and operational perspectives. Subsequent discussions will focus on establishing a long-term partnership of up to 10 years for implementing comprehensive projects in water and wastewater networks.

This cooperation falls within the framework of enhancing the exchange of expertise and modern technologies between Oman and Spain in the water and wastewater sector, supporting efforts to develop sustainable and smart water resource management.

The third MoU, signed by Oman LNG Company with the Spanish company ‘Naturgy’, aims to explore and discuss a long-term LNG sale and purchase agreement, which may include the supply of up to one million tons annually for 10 years starting from 2030.

Pursuant to the MoU, the two companies will also seek a joint investment in building an LNG carrier in cooperation with Asyad for maritime transport, purchase LNG shipments from ‘Naturgy’ to continue meeting the needs of the European market, and study opportunities for access to European regasification terminals and associated gas pipeline networks to enhance LNG imports and subsequent sales, cooperating in this field to develop global commercial opportunities.

The fourth MoU was signed by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology with an international consortium of companies comprising HIF EMEA, ACCIONA & Nordex Green Hydrogen and Al MEERA Investment. It aims to explore and develop a project for producing and supplying ships with low-carbon green methanol in Dhofar governorate, enhancing Oman’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and establishing Dhofar as a leading hub for green fuel and ship bunkering in the Middle East region.

Under this MoU, the two parties will collaborate on assessing the necessary technical, regulatory, and commercial aspects for establishing a major facility to produce green methanol, leveraging renewable energy sources and the advanced infrastructure that characterizes Oman.

The consortium will conduct feasibility studies and economic and technical analyses to explore the potential for ship bunkering and exporting the green methanol produced in Dhofar Governorate by integrating solar and wind energy to produce green hydrogen and utilizing industrial or biogenic carbon dioxide, subsequently converting it into green methanol. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology will facilitate communication with relevant government entities and provide the necessary regulatory support, including land allocation and considering incentives for the project.

The MoUs were signed on the Omani side by H E Salim bin Nasser al Awfi, Minister of Energy and Minerals; Faisal bin Abdullah al Rowas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Qais bin Saud al Zakwani, CEO of Nama Water Services; and Hamad bin Mohammed al Nu’amani, CEO of Oman LNG.

On the Spanish side, signatories included José Luis Bonet, Chairman of Chamber of Commerce; Pablo Calabuig, representing the Spanish company ‘Aguas de Valencia’; Francisco Reynés Massanet, CEO of Naturgy; and, representing the international consortium Pablo Pulpeir, CEO ACCIONA & Nordex Green Hydrogen, Thorsten Herdan, CEO of HIF EMEA and Haythem Macki, CEO Al MEERA Investment.