Sharjah, SAL, and Asyad add capacity across land, air, and sea

Building inland capacity

The Sharjah Ports, Customs and Freezones Authority is developing the Al Dhaid Logistics Complex, with phase one spanning more than 16 mn sq ft and designed to handle up to 1.5 mn TEUs annually, state news agency Wam reports.

The buildout is heavy on cargo-handling basics: The complex will include truck holding areas, cargo yards, warehousing, inspection, and screening facilities, traffic management systems, dedicated access roads, and wider road links. It will also feature rail sidings and loading facilities.

Another Central Asian carrier checks in

Another Central Asia carrier lands with SAL: Saudi Logistics Services (SAL) has inked a yearly renewable agreement with Uzbekistan’s Fly Khiva Group to provide integrated air cargo ground-handling services in the Kingdom. The agreement covers cargo handling, aircraft loading and offloading, and other ramp operations, with services paid on demand under the contract’s pricing schedule.

Not the first Central Asian play: SAL had previously signed cargo-handling agreements with Uzbekistan Airways and Azerbaijan Airlines and has a Kingdom-wide cargo-handling agreement with Silk Way Airlines.

The fleet reset keeps rolling

Oman’s Asyad Shipping has sold its 2001-built Sohar LNG carrier for USD 23 mn, according to a disclosure (pdf). The vessel had been part of Asyad’s fleet since 2003 and was 50%-owned through a joint venture with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. The transaction is expected to generate a JV gain of USD 2.1 mn, with Asyad set to recognize half of that amount, subject to final closing adjustments.

This is not a one-off sale — it is the same fleet-reset play: Asyad had planned the sale of four older, partially owned LNG carriers — Ibra, Ibri, Nizwa, and Salalah — under a USD 110 mn agreement signed in December 2025, with the vessels scheduled for handover in 1Q 2026.

Why it matters: Asyad is rotating out older LNG assets while bringing in newer LNG carriers and VLCCs that are tied to long-term charters and feature higher-efficiency specs. The Omani firm had already framed this as part of Asyad’s wider OMR 1 bn five-year fleet expansion strategy — including two LNG carriers, four crude oil tankers, and two oil-derivative tankers entering service in 2026-2027.