With the new arrival – delivered by SAL Heavy Lift – the terminal operator now boasts three mobile harbour cranes; the maximum single crane lifting capacity has increased from 80 Mtonnes to 100 Mtonnes.
“The crane is a significant investment, and one which will support growth at SOHAR, as the number of ships and the volume of cargo handled at its terminal continues to grow. Demand for project and break bulk is expected to increase in line with investment in major road and rail projects in Oman, and the additional capacity will be significant going forward,” said SOHAR Executive Commercial Manager, Edwin Lammers.
The USD 250 billion Gulf Railway and USD 2.5 billion Batinah Expressway are some of the projects requiring millions of tonnes of construction materials, imported as fully-assembled project cargo, or raw materials that will feed iron and steel production at SOHAR. There has been a significant rise in demand for tower cranes in the Middle East, while many of the materials used to build the runway, terminal buildings, and surrounding infrastructure at Sohar Airport, were imported through C Steinweg Oman’s terminal gates.
Towards the end of last year, Larsen & Toubro Heavy Engineering also made the headlines when exporting the world’s largest gas plant boiler from SOHAR, and with billions of dollars committed to the development of modern transport links around the logistical hub, Lammers explained how C Steinweg has grown from being the first operational company at the 12 year-old port, to become an integral part of its future.
“C Steinweg was the first operational company at SOHAR. Its jetties provided the gateway for the project and construction cargo necessary to build the port and we are delighted that it has increased its ability to serve the industry within the Sultanate and across the GCC. This will boost our contribution to the domestic economy, and will create jobs in the logistics industry that will transport cargo to and from SOHAR.”
With long-term growth in the Oman construction industry forecasted at 6.3 percent and the government’s five-year spending plan of USD 78 billion on infrastructure investment to look forward to, the crane will be operational almost immediately following its arrival and installation.