Bulk volumes up yet again at Salalah

Salalah is seeing a steep rise in bulk volumes, partially on the back of the increased appetite for fuel and steel. The port’s record 764,000 tons of cargo for May was up 31% on the same month last year.

Power and steel go hand in hand to fire Salalah’s bulk volumes
Power and steel go hand in hand to fire Salalah’s bulk volumes

Kutaiba Al-Hatmy of the Port of Salalah tells Port Strategy that the General Cargo terminal’s decade of double-digit growth is primarily being driven by rising volumes in the liquid, petro-chemical products while the region’s increase in steel has fuelled both gypsum and limestone volumes.

He explains, “Steel production requires 25% limestone input and Oman has the highest of grades. The alternative would be to get it from western Africa, which obviously takes longer.”