The proposed facility, which is due to come up shortly will be the latest addition to a growing array of terminals at the port, a report in Oman Daily Observer said.
With the addition of an Agro-Bulk terminal, Sohar Port will emerge as one of just a handful of gateways with truly multi-commodity handling capabilities in the region, it said.
According to a senior port official quoted in the report, the new Agro-Bulk terminal is set to be a key component of the Oman government's food security strategy and will help support the development of the country's first sugar refinery planned at the industrial port.
"With a view to supporting the Omani government's food security strategy, Sohar Port is earmarking a prime waterfront stretch for the establishment of a dedicated Agro-Bulk terminal to serve the objectives of the Public Authority for Strategic Food Reserves (PASFR)," Edwin Lammers, Executive Commercial Manager, Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIPC) was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
The new terminal is one of a raft of major infrastructure projects planned for implementation over the next 12-24 months as the industrial port seeks to maintain its pre-eminence as the nation's biggest maritime gateway.
"Currently, we can accommodate container vessels of about 6,500 TEUs (20 foot equivalent units), but with the installation of new quay cranes, the port will be equipped to handle ships of 10,000-11,000 TEU capacity. This upgrade would open up more opportunities for mainline ships to call directly at Sohar, starting from the second half of 2013," Lammers said.