Oman’s Sohar Port and Freezone has invited firms to bid by 15 June for an infrastructure work contract for the Sohar Port South development project.

The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor sought will undertake earthworks, reclamation, shore protection and storm water works at the port.

A deep sea port in Northern Oman lying on the Gulf coast, Sohar Port is operated and managed by the Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIP), a 50:50 joint venture of the Netherland’s Port of Rotterdam and the Omani government.

The expansion of the port is understood to be part of Oman’s Ninth Five-Year Development Plan, which covers the period 2016-2020.

Oman’s latest five-year plan aspires to double the output of its logistics sector and bring the industry’s total contribution to the economy to RO3bn ($7.8bn), while also doubling the sector’s level of employment to 80,000 by 2020.

The sultanate wants to be among the world’s top 30 countries in terms of logistics performance by 2020. This entails moving up 18 ranks from its 2015 position based on the Washington-based World Bank’s bi-annual Logistics Performance Index, where it lags behind fellow GCC states UAE, Qatar and Bahrain.