Tender for upgrade of Port Sultan Qaboos
Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology has kick-started the process of upgrading Port Sultan Qaboos to support its transformation into a national hub for cruise tourism.
Under a tender floated recently by the ministry, consultancy firms with expertise in port and maritime engineering have been invited to bid for a contract to provide advisory services on the construction of a new breakwater and additional berth, as well as to oversee significant reclamation works at Muscat's roughly 50-year-old maritime hub.
In addition to developing a concept master plan encompassing all aspects of the port's proposed upgrade, the selected consultant will also be invited to identify, as an option, investment opportunities arising from this expansion.
Given the cruise tourism-centred focus of the upgrade, these opportunities are expected to be linked to food and beverage outlets, hospitality, high-end retail, arts and crafts, and related sectors, say experts.
Last October, the ministry tasked Asyad Ports — a subsidiary of Asyad Group — with undertaking a feasibility study into the upgrade of Port Sultan Qaboos.
The study also covers the operational and commercial aspects of the project, aimed at supporting its development into a major cruise tourism hub.
Opportunities for strategic partnerships with investors to help deliver this vision were to be fully explored as well.
Officials announced at the time that the modernisation plan would be implemented in three phases.
The initial phase will focus on rehabilitating the port's existing infrastructure. The second phase will involve upgrading equipment and operational systems.
In the final phase, a new berth will be constructed to accommodate larger cruise vessels, enhancing the port's capacity to meet rising tourism demand.
According to cruise shipping experts, a berth length of at least 370 metres will be required to handle some of the largest cruise ships in operation today. Icon of the Seas, currently the largest cruise ship by gross tonnage and passenger capacity, measures 365 metres in length.
Other mega cruise ships in its class include the Wonder of the Seas (362 metres), Symphony of the Seas (361 metres), and Harmony of the Seas (362 metres). By comparison, the largest cruise ship to have visited Muscat to date is the AIDAcosma (337 metres), which made its maiden call in November 2022.
In line with Muscat's positioning as a cruise tourism hub, the modernisation will also aim to attract leisure and recreational vessels, including superyachts, catamarans and sailships, to Oman. Investment opportunities related to this segment of the maritime tourism sector will be explored as well.
Port Sultan Qaboos, which has undergone multiple upgrades over its 50-year history, currently features nine berths with a combined length of 1,750 metres. A passenger terminal is presently being modernised to align with the goals of the port's broader expansion.
In 2024, Port Sultan Qaboos welcomed a record 190 cruise ship calls, surpassing its target of 134 vessels for the year.
The deadline for submission of offers for the consultancy services contract is July 24, 2025.
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