MUSCAT: Trade activities through Omani ports is likely to increase by 15 percent in the next year as the sultanate restructures its port operations, according to a recent report.
The Business Monitor International (BMI) Oman Shipping Report 2014 said Sohar and Salalah ports were expected to see strong growth in tonnage, with Sohar port to be boosted in 2015 as commercial operations are transferred from the Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat to Sohar.
Tonnage at Salalah port was forecast to grow by 12.3 percent in 2014 to 9.22 million tonnes, with growth to average 6.7 percent each year to 2018.
Total tonnage throughput at Sohar port is forecast to reach 58.23m tonnes in 2014, a year-on-year growth of 15 percent, while the growth over the medium term will average 24.1 percent following the transfer of operations from PSQ to Sohar.