Sohar Port and Freezone was awarded as the worlds Best Dry Bulk Port at the recent International Bulk Journal (IBJ) awards in Amsterdam.
Executive commercial manager Robert Bartstra received the award on behalf of SOHAR. Other shortlisted finalists for the same category included Aurecon, Australia, for QPMC in Qatar; Essar Ports, India; HAROPA, France; and Jurong Ports, Singapore.
SOHAR is equipped with deep-water jetties capable of handling the Valemax class of Very Large Ore Carriers, which at 400,000 tonnes capacity are among the worlds largest ships. The Omani port experienced exceptionally strong growth in dry bulk cargo throughput of 24% in the first six months of 2017, compared to the same period last year and SOHAR now ranks as the largest bulk port in the Middle East and South Asia.
Vale is one of the worlds largest mining companies in terms of iron ore and pellets production and is the largest nickel producer in the world. With an initial investment of close to $2bn into the deep-water jetty and operations in SOHAR, Vale in Oman employs advanced technologies including an innovative environmental management system. In the first four years of full operations by Vale in Oman, from 2012-2016, over 45 million tonnes of iron ore were imported to SOHAR from Brazil.
In addition to Vale’s Oman operations, Jindal Shadeeds DRI plant and rolling mills and Sohar Aluminium are significant importers of dry bulk, as well as a number of other smaller metals facilities in the port and adjacent freezone. The growth in dry bulk passing through the port has had a significant and positive knock-on effect on downstream industries in the freezone, and has played a significant role in helping to generate more jobs.
Mark Geilenkirchen, CEO of SOHAR Port and Freezone, commented: We are all immensely proud to be named Dry Bulk Port of the Year and congratulate Vale in Oman and our other tenants teams on their achievements. Dry bulk imports are essential for our metals cluster in SOHAR and our aim is to manage this in an environmentally sound and sustainable way.”
He further added: “We utilise state-of-the-art technologies in the dry bulk terminal, including i-MOOR for real-time load monitoring; laser-guided berthing approach systems for increased efficiency and safety; environmental monitoring systems which give us values for a full-range of weather parameters; and special containment systems that mean there is effectively no cargo spill into the ocean.”