Maritime Monitor

Cargo movements at ports rise - 2009-03-02

The quantity of cargo unloaded and loaded at Mina Sultan Qaboos and Salalah ports stood at 9,748,400 tonnes as at the end of December 2008 against 7,523,900 tonnes during the same period in 2007, constituting a 29.56 per cent rise. A bulletin released by the National Economy Ministry attributed the overall increase in the quantities of goods handled at the two ports to the rise in loaded and unloaded goods at Mina Sultan Qaboos by 32.4 per cent to 6,297,700 tonnes by the end of December 2008, against 4,714,400 tonnes during the same period in 2007. Goods handled at Salalah port rose in terms of quantity by 24.7 per cent by the end of December 2008 to 3,468,700 tonnes against 2,782,500 tonnes during the same period in 2007. Foodstuff items, building and construction materials and vehicles were among the most important cargo handled at the two ports. The bulletin indicated that a total of 3,042 ships called at the two ports by the end of December 2008, constituting a 23.6 per cent rise against 2,462 vessels during the same period in 2007. The number of vessels which anchored at Mina Sultan Qaboos rose by 12 per cent to 2,078 ships by the end of December 2008, against 1,856 ships during the same period in 2007, while the number of vessels anchored at Salalah port rose by 59.1 per cent to 964 ships.

Source: zawya.com