Asyad Group and CMA CGM have signed a framework agreement to develop and operate a new multipurpose logistics terminal at Sohar, in a project expected to involve around $400m of investment.

Sohar gains another logistics anchor

The agreement adds another layer to Oman’s push to build Sohar into a stronger gateway for regional and international cargo flows.

Signed during the official visit of Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to France, the deal brings together Oman’s state backed logistics group and one of the world’s largest liner shipping and logistics companies.

The planned terminal is intended to add integrated cargo handling and logistics capacity at Sohar, one of Oman’s main port and industrial hubs. For shippers, the question is simple enough. Can Sohar become a more useful bridge between ocean services, inland corridors and regional distribution?

That is the bet behind the project.

$400m investment targets cargo growth

The planned investment of around $400m is aimed at supporting higher cargo volumes and improving connections between Omani ports and global shipping networks.

Asyad said the project would help attract more trade flows into Oman’s ports, free zones and economic zones. The group has been positioning Oman as a logistics platform between Asia, the Gulf, East Africa and Europe.

CMA CGM said the terminal would strengthen its port and logistics activities in the Gulf, while giving customers more reliable inland access to regional trade corridors.

For cargo owners, the value of a terminal is not only measured at the quay wall. It is measured in how quickly freight can move from vessel to yard, from yard to warehouse, and from warehouse to market. In that sense, Sohar is being developed not just as a port, but as a logistics hinge.

CMA CGM deepens Gulf footprint

Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and chief executive officer of CMA CGM, said the Sohar project would improve regional connectivity and supply chain resilience for the group’s customers.

“This partnership with Asyad Group marks an important step in the development of our logistics and port activities in the Gulf,” Saadé said.

The French group has continued to build its port and logistics presence across key trade regions, linking liner services with inland, terminal and supply chain assets. Sohar gives the company another position in a region where cargo owners are paying closer attention to route reliability, port capacity and inland access.

Oman looks to pull in more trade flows

Abdulrahman Al Hatmi, group chief executive officer of Asyad Group, said the agreement forms part of the Omani logistics group’s strategy to attract more cargo flows and investment into ports, free zones and economic zones.

That strategy matters because Gulf logistics is no longer just about handling imports and exports. It is increasingly about creating alternatives, buffers and options for global supply chains.

Sohar’s location gives it a role in that discussion. The port sits outside the Strait of Hormuz and has developed as an industrial and logistics hub with access to regional markets. For some cargo owners, that geography is becoming more than a map detail. It is part of risk planning.

Sohar builds on existing port base

Sohar Port and Freezone is a joint venture between Asyad and the Port of Rotterdam. The port handles more than 3,000 vessel calls a year and around 75m tonnes of cargo, with container terminal capacity of 2.46m teu.

The port already serves a range of cargo segments, including containers, general cargo, dry bulk and liquid bulk. The new multipurpose logistics terminal is expected to add capacity and flexibility for cargo that does not always fit neatly into standard container flows.

That is important for breakbulk, project cargo and industrial supply chains. These cargoes need space, planning and coordination. A terminal that can combine handling, storage and inland movement can make the difference between a shipment that moves smoothly and one that waits for the next available slot.

Framework agreement sets next phase

The agreement remains at framework stage, meaning further project details, timelines and operational structure are still expected to follow.

For now, the direction is clear. Asyad wants more cargo moving through Oman. CMA CGM wants a stronger Gulf logistics position. Sohar wants to convert location, capacity and industrial demand into a larger role in regional trade.

Source: splash247