Oman: MoU on Khasab Port Signed

Ministry of Transport and Communications today signed an initial memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Port Services Corporation (PSC) related to the management and operation of the port of Khasab in Musandam Governorate.

The signing of this memorandum is in implementation of the Royal Directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, to expand the service and development projects in the Governorate of Musandam, in addition to Khasab port development and expansion to accommodate economic, commercial and tourist activities in the port.

The memo was signed on behalf of the Ministry ofTransport and Communications by Dr. Ahmed bin Mohamed al-Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications and on behalf of PSC by Mohammed bin Jawad bin Hassan, the Adviser of the Ministry of Finance/Chairman of the Board of Directors of PSC.

The initial memo stipulates that PSC, as a leading national company with extensive experience in the management and operation of the ports since its founding in 1976 , is assigned to manage and operate the port of Khasab, in Musandam Governorate, as it stands, for a trial period of 6 months from the date of signature of the memo until a permenant and extendable agreement on the management and operation is reached.

PSC will, under this memo, prepare a study containing an action plan on the possibility of port management and operation over the long term, identifying developmental requirements of the port’s infrastructure and conducting a comprehensive assessment of commercial traffic in the port to support study outline of the port currently performed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

PSC will also study current conditions of port’s workers, develop human resources and provide recommendations to the Ministry on urgent action required with the preparation of the port to meet the requirements of the movement of vessels, speed boats and other boats during the trial period, as well as to study the possibility of entering PSC into local or global strategic partnership.

Among the actions undertaken by the PSC is the implementation of and follow-up to oversee the establishment of public services and utilities to the port in coordination with the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

It should be noted that the relevant government agencies would implement emergency facilities to serve some commercial and service activities in the Musandam Governorate, including a slaughterhouse, meat storing facilities, veterinary and agricultural quarantine, laboratory, jetties and a handling square, in addition to providing facilities for storing fish.

Mohammed bin Jawad bin Hassan, the Adviser of the Ministry of Finance/Chairman of the Board of Directors of PSC said that the signing of the memo came to run the port of Khasab for the next period, adding that PSC has been selected in the light of the offers made by the Government for some companies.

He also said that the consultancy studies for the conversion of Sultan Qaboos port into a tourist port has not finished yet, but the content of the study include a range of alternatives including tourist hotels, marine sport, water Museum and markets.

[mappress]

Press Release, January 14, 2013