Oman plans massive industrial park

The Omani government is laying the ground for the development of a huge industrial hub and free trade zone in Duqm, a remote coastal town on the Arabian Sea. Spread on 24,000 hectares, the industrial park will be adjoining a major port complex that includes a ship repair yard being developed in association with South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering.

The ship repair yard, due to be launched in 2010, is being designed to accommodate some of the largest vessels in service today, and will rank only second to the dry dock in Dubai in terms of size and capacity.

The industrial park and free trade zone is being master planned to attract a wide spectrum of investments – industrial, oil refining, petrochemical processing, mineral, small- and medium-scale manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, fisheries, etc. Oman Refineries and Petrochemicals Company, which owns and operates the country’s two refineries in Muscat and Sohar, is pursuing the development of a major oil refinery at Duqm.