The Transport Ministry has invited firms to bid by 10 June for a contract to provide consultancy services for the rehabilitation and redevelopment of Salalah’s general cargo terminal.

The rising volume of cargo passing through Salalah port is driving the need to upgrade the existing cargo terminal.

It is one of a number of tenders expected to be released this year as the port looks to support the increasing number of industries setting up in the nearby Freezone. A tender for the contract for the detailed design of a northern breakwater at the port due to be floated within the second quarter of this year. There are also plans to build new container terminal berths in 12-18 months’ time.

A general cargo terminal and liquid jetty is currently under construction at the port and due to be completed at the end of 2013.

Local construction firm Hani Archirodon Construction is overseeing the scheme, which will see the terminal’s cargo-handling capacity raised from 6.5 million tonnes a year (t/y) to 20 million t/y of dry bulk commodities and 6 million tonnes of liquid products.

In 2012, Salalah port handled 3.6 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container shipping, as well as 7 million tonnes of bulk cargo, compared with 3.2 million TEUs in 2011.