Duqm.. A Breathtaking Development.. (Part 1)

Source : (https://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20070807123219/Al%20Duqm%20Breathtaking%20Development)

Al Duqm is hardly a destination for the average tourist or leisure-traveller, leave alone industrialists. But come 2010, Oman's most comprehensively planned town will blip on the global industrial radar like no other Omani city.

During the period of what they call 'the flood', the miniscule population of Al Duqm migrates to northern parts to find some work in date fields. During this period (from June to September), the temperature drops below 30 deg C, which is unsuitable for fishing - the lifeline of the town. Perhaps by next year, this 'summer journey' might stop. For the topography of the area is up for some makeover a makeover worth hundreds of millions of riyals.

What is considered now as a sleepy, fishing town is soon expected to eclipse the Sultanate's fast-developing industrial hub, Sohar. It might sound like an exaggeration, but Duqm, if all goes according to the master plan, will be a force to reckon with in the entire Gulf region in the days to come. Though only bits and pieces of information about Duqm's development as a new industrial destination is available, the plans for development of the area include a crude oil export terminal and a strategic storage facility, a free trade zone and a downstream industrial area in addition to an airport, port, dry dock, commercial and residential areas and plans for tourism development. Thanks to its proximity to the busy regional sea-lanes traversing Oman's coastal waters, Duqm about 700 kms from Muscat is being conceived as a main maritime gateway that will serve an ambitious industrial and commercial hub. Apart from the strategic location of Duqm, the friendly climate of the area adds to its advantages.

The purpose behind developing Duqm is to export Gulf's crude oil from an Omani port. Outline of the plan is to export crude oil, which is produced in the Gulf region and transported through pipeline to Omani port. Positioned as it is on the Gulf of Oman, with the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea at its north-eastern end, and with its long coastline running south along the Arabian Sea, the government believes Duqm is strategically the most preferred location for this port.

The biggest catch for Duqm could be its mineral export capability. The total dry bulk cargo handled at Duqm in 2025 is estimated to be four million tonnes. The exports of aggregate will comprise limestone for steel industry and limestone fillers for other industries as well silica sand/quartzite. Most importantly, the port will handle a substantial portion of the fish export from Oman. It is estimated that in 2025, the total fish catch of Sultanate of Oman will be 250,000 tonnes, and about 50 per cent of it will be exported. Share of the catch and the export from the ports are likely to be like this: Sultan Qaboos - 35 per cent, Duqm - 27 per cent, and Salalah - 13 per cent.

Not just this. Al Wusta Region is distinguished for having a great number of oil wells. One of the possibilities could be setting up a space-oriented industry such as oil refinery and storage. "As the Sultanate is also looking to further strengthening its links with the sea and maritime trade, it is seeking to position itself as the region's leading ship-repair centre by constructing a massive new dry dock and maintenance facility. The Sultanate has already poured billions of dollars into developing the ports of Muscat, Sohar and Salalah to boost the cargo handling capacity. With Duqm, it is now investing to make Oman the port of choice for vessels in need of repair or overhaul," according to a report by OBG.

See Duqm.. A Breathtaking Development.. (Part 2)