Omani port operator QS Maritime is planning to award a contract for the expansion of Shinas Port for OMR 77 mn (c. USD 200 mn), CEO Abdulbaqi bin Ahmed Al Kindi told Oman News Agency on Saturday. The construction is slated to begin before the end of 2025 and the project is reportedly expected to take between five and seven years to complete.

What’s in the cards? The project’s first phase will involve expanding the port’s current basin to the south and establishing a new northern breakwater to allow larger vessels to dock. The company expects to launch a sea route between Shinas Port and Iran’s Bandar Abbas Port by 4Q 2025 that can accommodate 200 passengers with their vehicles.

Part of an ongoing effort: QS Maritime has already expanded the port’s square footage to 1.8 mn sqm in preparation for new projects, Al Kindi added. Shinas Port saw robust traffic growth in 1Q 2025, receiving 306 ships compared to 119 in the same period last year. The port’s handling usually includes livestock, iron, cement, general cargo, and camels.

The latest from the port: QS Maritime signed an OMR 25 mn (c. USD 66 mn) agreement last year with Zuhoor Al Khaleej to build fuel tanks and manage supply and storage services at Shinas port. This followed the signing of an agreement by a consortium of Omani and Indian firms with Oman’s Transport, Communications, and Information Ministry to develop, manage, and operate Shinas Port in 2023.

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