Oman is preparing to award the engineering and design contract for the expansion of the Port of Salalah.

The contract is for berths 7, 8 and 9 at the port, which is operated and managed by Salalah Port Services, which is a joint venture between the Omani government and the Netherlands’ APM Terminals.

“We are at the final stage of review and undertaking clarifications of offers with bidders,” says a high-ranking government executive who is involved in the scheme.

No timeline has been specified for the release of the main contract for the construction of the berths.

The project is part of the long-term expansion strategy for the port, one of Oman’s major logistics assets.

Over 3,200 vessels call at the port annually, taking advantage of the port’s strategic location on the Indian Ocean. The port lies almost equidistant to the markets of East Africa, the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Gulf.