Latest news with #PortofDuqm
The National
16-07-2025
- Business
- The National
The global trade reset bodes well for the GCC's maritime assets
Rather like catching a high tide, it has been said that the key to success is being in the right place at the right time. But location and timing alone do not guarantee success, rather they create the conditions necessary for victory. That is one of the key lessons I learnt from both my military and investment careers. In today's volatile global trading landscape, it is a lesson that applies to the Gulf's economic trajectory. This is because it is not just the region's geographic location that makes it an emerging trading hub – it's everything else the GCC has spent decades building that positions it to capture the opportunities that will inevitably arise from today's global trade rearrangement. Naturally, that includes infrastructure. The GCC has one of the world's most robust networks of seaports. The Red Sea handles about 12 per cent of global trade, and around 30 per cent of global container traffic, while 30 per cent of the world's seaborne traded oil and 20 per cent of all LNG is exported through the Strait of Hormuz. These ports are multipurpose hubs, handling containers and cargo from every corner of the world. Importantly, however, they are also gateways to a group of economies set to reach a GDP of $3 trillion by 2030. One of the bridges to this opportunity is the Port of Duqm on Oman's south-east coast, facing outwards towards Asia and Africa with direct access to the Indian Ocean. Duqm is a key focus in Oman's National Logistics Strategy 2040, which aims to position the country as a global logistics hub and make the sector the second-largest contributor to gross domestic product. It is a strategy that has attracted significant regional and international investment to Oman's logistics sector – about $6.5 billion since 2023. One of the fundamentals underpinning these investments is renewable energy. In fact, there are huge opportunities for the region's ports from industrial decarbonisation and the global energy transition. The Port of Duqm is currently being expanded to include a new quay wall servicing a low-carbon industrial plant that will supply the green steel sector. Up to 200,000 tonnes of green hydrogen are already generated annually at Duqm from 5 GW of wind and solar energy. Duqm aims to increase production to reach a million tonnes by 2030, becoming a regional centre for renewables. There are huge opportunities for the region's ports from industrial decarbonisation and the global energy transition The fact that Duqm sits at the intersection of the GCC's economies of today and tomorrow makes it a natural destination for capital. It is a beneficiary of – and contributor to – Oman's Vision 2040. It's a long-term investment that will shape the economy and endure for generations. Ultimately, it transcends financial returns, creating sustainable effects for Omani people and businesses. The investment opportunity accommodated at Duqm represents something we will likely see more of over the next five years, not just in Oman, but regionally. We will witness the roll-out of a new template for grand infrastructure plays across the GCC as the region locks in its growth trajectory. Fuelled by national transformations, the delivery of these megaprojects will cement the region as a trade hub and West Asia as a new fulcrum for global commerce. The opportunities are clear and will follow a playbook that Investcorp is well-versed in following: decades of involvement in major infrastructure and real estate projects. Today, Investcorp's real assets portfolio has $16.7 billion of assets under management out of $57 billion of total AUM. A large component of these assets is based in mature industrial markets in the US and include some of the country's highest-profile projects of our time, like the $4.2 billion Terminal 6 Project at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York. One of these infrastructure assets, Resa Power, was recently our most successful exit of the last decade, growing revenues by more than four times under Investcorp ownership. Crucially, models honed in the US – a country with strong fundamentals throughout market cycles – are now becoming relevant to the GCC, where macroeconomic tailwinds and a global energy transition are making infrastructure investments more viable than ever. Now is the right time to apply these models to markets like Oman and the wider GCC, that stand on the cusp of a new economic era. In the near future, GCC logistics hubs will become prime destinations for smart global capital. These are assets that sit at the perfect place in time. On one hand they straddle the region's deep maritime past and its future of technological leadership; and on another, they are coming to the fore during a period of supply chain reconfiguration and a shifting balance of power between East and West. And of course, located between fast-growing markets on multiple continents, they sit at just the right place. The tide is rising – now is the time to catch it.
Times of Oman
19-05-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Investcorp to Invest in Port of Duqm expansion
Manama: Investcorp, a leading global alternative investment firm, today announces that its infrastructure platform has signed a cooperation agreement to invest in a $550 million infrastructure project in Port of Duqm in Oman. Investcorp Aberdeen Infrastructure Partners ('AIIP') – a joint venture with Aberdeen plc, will be the shareholder in the Project, alongside the Port of Duqm Company, the DEME Group and Port of Antwerp Bruges (jointly formed a consortium named 'CAP INFRA'). This investment is closely aligned with AIIP's mandate to invest in long-term concessions across the GCC countries and the broader MENA region, and its strategy to develop long-term partnerships with key industry players, such as the Port of Duqm Company and CAP INFRA. The new infrastructure at the Port of Duqm marks AIIP's fourth investment commitment, following ADNOC's Project Wave in the UAE and two infrastructure concessions for social and public assets in the KSA. The Port of Duqm, situated in the south-east of Oman with direct access to the Indian Ocean, serves as a crucial gateway and transit point for global trade and commerce, cementing its role as a strategically important infrastructure assets in Oman. Benefiting from a prime central location on the Omani coastline, the Port serves as a multipurpose hub, handling container shipments, dry and liquid bulks, general and bagged cargo. As part of the marine infrastructure works, dredging and construction of a new quay wall are envisaged which will service a new low-carbon industrial plant within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm. The plant aims to produce low CO2 iron metallics products and, ultimately, hydrogen powered steel, or 'green steel'. The port expansion and ultimate creation of a green steel plant aligns with Oman's Vision 2040 and the country's commitment to sustainable infrastructure development. The opportunity to invest in the project was a competitive process, with AIIP securing the mandate over four other parties. Mohammed Alardhi, Executive Chairman at Investcorp, commented: 'The Port of Duqm is one of the most strategically important seaports in the world. We are pleased to be investing not only in one of Oman's largest infrastructure projects, but in Oman's Vision 2040, contributing to the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.' Sami Neffati, Managing Partner of AIIP, commented: 'We are delighted to partner with the Port of Duqm Company and CAP INFRA to expand this important shipping hub and further secure trading routes to and from the region. Securing this transaction demonstrates our ability to offer investors access to unique opportunities. We are very excited about the region's infrastructure prospects.' Reggy Vermeulen, Chief Executive Officer at Port of Duqm Company, commented: 'We are proud to partner with a strategic foreign direct investment from AIIP, a renowned global investment group, to support the development of the port's infrastructure. This investment is a strong vote of confidence in the Port of Duqm's vision and future. It reflects the trust of international partners in our growth story and in Oman's broader economic ambitions under Vision 2040. Through this opportunity, we will not only increase capacity but also advance sustainable industry by supporting future-facing projects like green steel production.'
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Investcorp to invest in Port of Duqm expansion
Manama, Bahrain – Investcorp, a leading global alternative investment firm, today announces that its infrastructure platform has signed a cooperation agreement to invest in a $550 million infrastructure project in Port of Duqm in Oman. Investcorp Aberdeen Infrastructure Partners ('AIIP') – a joint venture with Aberdeen plc, will be the shareholder in the Project, alongside the Port of Duqm Company, the DEME Group and Port of Antwerp Bruges (jointly formed a consortium named 'CAP INFRA'). This investment is closely aligned with AIIP's mandate to invest in long-term concessions across the GCC countries and the broader MENA region, and its strategy to develop long-term partnerships with key industry players, such as the Port of Duqm Company and CAP INFRA. The new infrastructure at the Port of Duqm marks AIIP's fourth investment commitment, following ADNOC's Project Wave in the UAE and two infrastructure concessions for social and public assets in the KSA. The Port of Duqm, situated in the south-east of Oman with direct access to the Indian Ocean, serves as a crucial gateway and transit point for global trade and commerce, cementing its role as a strategically important infrastructure assets in Oman. Benefiting from a prime central location on the Omani coastline, the Port serves as a multipurpose hub, handling container shipments, dry and liquid bulks, general and bagged cargo. As part of the marine infrastructure works, dredging and construction of a new quay wall are envisaged which will service a new low-carbon industrial plant within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm. The plant aims to produce low CO2 iron metallics products and, ultimately, hydrogen powered steel, or 'green steel'. The port expansion and ultimate creation of a green steel plant aligns with Oman's Vision 2040 and the country's commitment to sustainable infrastructure development. The opportunity to invest in the project was a competitive process, with AIIP securing the mandate over four other parties. Mohammed Alardhi, Executive Chairman at Investcorp, commented: 'The Port of Duqm is one of the most strategically important seaports in the world. We are pleased to be investing not only in one of Oman's largest infrastructure projects, but in Oman's Vision 2040, contributing to the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.' Sami Neffati, Managing Partner of AIIP, commented: ''We are delighted to partner with the Port of Duqm Company and CAP INFRA to expand this important shipping hub and further secure trading routes to and from the region. Securing this transaction demonstrates our ability to offer investors access to unique opportunities. We are very excited about the region's infrastructure prospects.' Reggy Vermeulen, Chief Executive Officer at Port of Duqm Company, commented: 'We are proud to partner with a strategic foreign direct investment from AIIP, a renowned global investment group, to support the development of the port's infrastructure. This investment is a strong vote of confidence in the Port of Duqm's vision and future. It reflects the trust of international partners in our growth story and in Oman's broader economic ambitions under Vision 2040. Through this opportunity, we will not only increase capacity but also advance sustainable industry by supporting future-facing projects like green steel production.' About Investcorp Investcorp is a global investment manager specializing in alternative investments across four asset classes: Private Equity (Mid-Market Buyouts, Growth Investments, and GP Staking), Real Assets (Infrastructure and Real Estate), Credit (CLOs, Broadly Syndicated Loans & Structured Credit, and Middle-Market Direct Lending), and Liquid Strategies (Absolute Return Investments and Insurance Asset Management). Since our inception in 1982, we have focused on generating attractive returns for our clients and seeking to create long-term value in our portfolio companies by adopting a disciplined investment process, employing talented professionals, and utilizing the resources of a global institution with an innovative approach. We invest capital in our products and strategies, aligning interests with our clients and other stakeholders. We pursue sustainable value creation through our investments and in the communities in which we operate and take pride in partnering with clients to deliver tailored solutions for their needs. Today, Investcorp manages approximately $55 billion in assets, including assets managed by third party managers. Investcorp has 14 offices in the US, Europe, GCC and Asia, including, India, China, Japan and Singapore and employs approximately 500 people from 50 nationalities globally. For further information, visit and follow us @Investcorp on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Media Contacts: International / GCC Firas El Amine +973 175 15404 felamine@
