Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel Al-Wazir, along with Oman’s Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, visited Sohar Port and Freezone to review its industrial base, logistics capabilities and investment potential.
During the visit, Omani officials presented an overview of the Sohar Freezone, which hosts a wide range of industries including pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, metals, plastics and clean energy, alongside logistics and warehousing operations. Officials highlighted the incentives available to investors and underscored the strategic role of Sohar Port as Oman’s primary gateway for imports and exports, handling more than 80% of the Sultanate’s trade flows.
They noted that the integrated logistics, metals, petrochemicals and food ecosystem at Sohar Port and Freezone has attracted investments exceeding $30 billion. Collectively, the port and freezone handle over 75 million tonnes of cargo annually, receive more than 3,000 vessels each year, host around 1,900 companies and generate approximately 42,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The delegation was also briefed on the competitive advantages of North Al Batinah Governorate, including its strategic location, diversified economic activities, natural resources, multiple access points, and strong agricultural and fisheries sectors.
Al-Wazir said Sohar Freezone and its existing industries could serve as a platform for deeper industrial integration between Egypt and Oman. He pointed to Oman’s surplus production of polypropylene and copper as a potential source to meet growing demand in the Egyptian market.
Emphasising the need to strengthen maritime connectivity between the two countries, Al-Wazir proposed linking Egypt’s Ain Sokhna Port with Sohar Port to facilitate the movement of raw materials and finished goods to domestic, regional and international markets. Ain Sokhna Port, he noted, is operated by six of the world’s largest port operators and is connected to major global shipping lines.
The Egyptian minister also highlighted investment opportunities for Omani partners across Egyptian ports, particularly at Greater Alexandria Port. These include the Middle Port, a second logistics zone covering 547 feddans, and the Alexandria cruise terminal.
Al-Wazir underlined the rapid development of Egypt’s maritime sector in recent years, citing the addition of five new ports to bring the total number of commercial ports to 19, the construction of new berths and terminals with total quay lengths exceeding 100 kilometres, and the deepening of navigation channels to boost capacity to 40 million TEUs and 400 million tonnes of cargo annually. These upgrades have helped attract six of the world’s largest shipping lines and seven major global port operators.
He also noted that Ain Sokhna Port has entered the Guinness World Records as the deepest man-made port basin built on land, with a depth of 19 metres. In parallel, Egypt is modernising its commercial fleet, targeting 40 merchant vessels by 2030.
Following the briefing, Al-Wazir conducted a field tour of Sohar Port and Freezone, visiting several berths and logistics facilities to review operations on the ground.