Ports & Harbours of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman

History

Khalifa Bin Salman Port was officially inaugurated in April 2009, reducing the reliance on the older Mina Salman Port as Bahrain’s primary commercial port. The development of the port formed part of Bahrain’s broader strategy to modernize its infrastructure, enhance trade competitiveness, and establish the country as a regional logistics hub in the Persian Gulf.

The port was developed through a public-private partnership and was among the first ports in the region to be operated by a global terminal operator. Since its opening, KBSP has handled the majority of Bahrain’s import and export cargo, supporting the country’s non-oil economic diversification.

Facilities

The port features modern infrastructure designed to handle large vessels and a wide range of cargo types – the port includes a deep-water container terminal with an approximately 1,800‑meter-long quay equipped with post‑Panamax ship‑to‑shore gantry cranes, enabling it to accommodate large container ships operating on regional and international routes. In addition to container handling facilities, the port has dedicated areas for general cargo, bulk and breakbulk cargo, roll‑on/roll‑off (Ro‑Ro) operations, and a passenger cruise terminal. Supporting infrastructure includes extensive warehousing and bonded storage areas, customs and inspection facilities, and advanced terminal operating systems that enhance cargo handling efficiency and security.

Location

The port sits on approximately 110 hectares of reclaimed land situated in the Hidd Industrial Area, on the northeastern coast of Bahrain, approximately 10 km from Bahrain International Airport and is connected to Persian Gulf shipping lanes. Its location provides direct access to major industrial zones, including aluminum smelters, manufacturing facilities, and logistics parks. The port is also connected by road to the King Fahd Causeway, enabling overland trade with Saudi Arabia.

History

Umm Qasr was originally a small fishing town, but was said to have been the site of Alexander the Great's landing in Mesopotamia in 325 BC. During the Second World War a temporary port was established there by the Allies to unload supplies to dispatch to the Soviet Union. It fell back into obscurity after the war, but the government of King Faisal II sought to establish a permanent port there in the 1950s.

In 1958 after the coup d'etat of the Iraqi Army known as the 14 July Revolution, the Iraqi Navy established a base there. The new regime of General Abdul-Karim Qassem undertook mass planning of the economy of Iraq, based on oil export and factory based production, which required new shipping facilities.

History

In 1995, Sultan Qaboos, set up a ministerial committee to develop the Port of Salalah (previously called Raysut) and establish a new port in Sohar. Informal advisory work began from 1998 to 2000 in close cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and Communication. Subsequently, the first phase of the port was developed by the Government of Oman.

In July 2002, the Government of Oman and the Port of Rotterdam signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a concession agreement for SOHAR Port. The Royal Decree no. 80/2002 ratified the concession agreement of SOHAR Port and was issued in August of the same year. The construction of the petrochemical complex, terminal and other utilities of the port commenced in 2003.

Operations

SOHAR Port and Freezone was originally planned around three key industrial clusters, namely logistics, metals, and petrochemicals. The port has since added a fourth pillar with the launch of the SOHAR Food Cluster, complemented by the first dedicated agro bulk terminal in a region heavily dependent on food imports.

The SOHAR Port South expansion is fundamental to Oman's national focus on growing the logistics and industry sectors as part of its ongoing economic diversification efforts. This expansion aims to aid the steady growth in aggregate cargo volumes and investments at the port by delivering additional cargo capacity and attracting more business. It will add 250 hectares to the industrial port's current capacity of 2,000 hectares by January 2019.

Location

The wilaya (province) of Liwa lies in the centre of the Al Batinah North Governorate, in the North of Oman. This provides the port with a strategic location outside the Strait of Hormuz - the stretch of water providing the only passage between the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, and an important means of sea transportation linking the Gulf Arab states to India, the rest of the Middle East, China and South East Asia, as well as Europe.