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The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) signed this morning 12/15/2022, a usufruct agreement for the fishing port with Marsa Al Duqm Investments Company. The agreement aims to benefit from the lands of the fishing port and to develop and implement commercial facilities with an area of 300,000 square meters, which will be used to serve fisheries purposes and related commercial activities, as part of the efforts exerted to develop and operate the port to attract local and international investments in the fisheries sector as the port is considered one of the economic engines of the economic zone at Duqm. 

The agreement was signed by His Excellency Eng. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Deeb, OPAZ Deputy Chairman, and Eng. Nabil bin Salim Al-Bimani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Marsa Al Duqm Investments, signed on behalf of the company and the GCEO of Fisheries Development Oman S.A.O.C. 

Under the agreement, Marsa Al Duqm Investments Company will develop the infrastructure and superstructure to serve the port commercially, with the aim of providing services to investors in the fisheries sector and fishermen from the local community.

Following the signing of the agreement, His Excellency Eng. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Deeb, OPAZ Deputy chairman stated that, "The signing of this agreement comes within the Authority's strategy to enable local and international companies to develop fish industries sector and related activities and to develop service and commercial facilities, as this sector is considered one of the promising sectors in the Sultanate of Oman in general and in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) in particular, benefiting from the fish stocks available in the zone”. He added that this agreement aims to benefit from the infrastructure of the fishing port, support re-export sector, stimulate air freight traffic at Duqm Airport through export operations of fish products, and create added value to the fish wealth in the zone. The port consists of several facilities such as the main and secondary breakwaters and a 10 meters’ deep basinto serve commercial fishing ships and it is located nearby a complex for fish industries. His Excellency added that sites have been allocated for the maintenance of commercial fishing ships, artisanal fishing ships, fishing factories, fish sale facilities, and a training centre for fishermen. A network of paved roads has been implemented to serve fish transportation vehicles”

On his side, Eng. Nabil bin Salim Al Bimani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Marsa Al Duqm Investments Company, said:

"We are pleased today to sign this agreement in cooperation with our partners to manage, develop and operate the largest fishing port in the Sultanate, as the port is centre of the activities supporting the fishing sector and the link between all activities related to fishing. It also constitutes a suitable opportunity for attracting investment in the development of support sectors."

Al Bimani added, "The port will contribute to supporting and developing research and innovation, and localizing the value-added chain of fish products. The port also serves the fish industries area specialized in fish processing and canning." FDO seeks to transform the port into a sustainable smart city in global supply chains. 

The fishing port of Duqm is the largest commercial fishing port in the Sultanate of Oman, with an area of approximately 7.5 square kilometres, to be able to receive the largest international commercial fishing vessels. It is 10 meters deep with floating berths and a private berth for the boats of Coast Guard police.

The fishing port and the fish industries zone are considered one of the economic engines of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, which will play a role in attracting local and international companies specialized in the field of fishing and related fish industries. The authority also seeks to make the fishing port in Duqm a port that targets environmentally friendly green energy projects.

It is worth noting that the Marsa Al Duqm Investments Company is a consortium led by a number of Oman Investment Authority companies represented by Fisheries Development Oman (FDO), Asyad Ports, Al Wusta Fish Industries Company, the Omani Food Investment Holding Company “Nitaj” and the French Port of Lorient Company, which is one of the largest ports hunting in Europe.