Oman’s Salalah Port signs MoUs with two Iranian terminals

Oman’s largest port Salalah has signed a memorandum of understanding with two Iranian terminals to boost shipping ties.

The deals with Iran’s biggest cargo port Bandar Abbas and Chabahar port, located at the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman respectively, could facilitate growth in shipping, trade and commerce, Salalah Port chief executive David Gladhil, told Reuters.

“We also envisage the landlocked countries adjacent to Iran to use the existing multilateral agreements for transport corridors to access new markets,” he told the newswire.

Oman’s Sohar Port and Freezone has also expressed an eagerness to expand shipping and trade links with Iran.

“What we are trying to do is see if we can get a piece of the cake and divert or create new business opportunities for business between Oman and Iran using Sohar as the base for that,” port CEO Andre Toet said last week.

He added that Sohar was targeting more trade with major Iranian dry bulk and container line IRISL and national tanker operator NITC.