The Port of Salalah in Oman has developed multi-modal service alternatives to offer a feasible alternative to the time-consuming and more expensive re-routing around the Cape of Good Hope.
The Port of Salalah’s multimodal solutions reportedly provide Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs) and shipping lines with cost-effective and time-saving options between Asia, the US East Coast, and European destinations.
An in-transit overland truck route connects the Port of Salalah to Jeddah, which is located in Saudi Arabia’s safer Red Sea midpoint.
APM Terminals (APMT) noted that the overland route takes approximately 4-5 days.
From this location, the voyage may be continued by container vessel via the Suez Canal to Europe or the US East Coast, decreasing overall transit time compared to the existing route.
Furthermore, the Port of Salalah has a sea-air option which provides a speedier route for time-sensitive freight into and out of Europe.
Upon discharge in the Port of Salalah, cargo is carried in transit to Salalah, Muscat, or possibly Jebel Ali, depending on airlift capacity and connections.
According to APMT, the new multi-modal service decreases transit times by an estimated 20-40 per cent compared to typical east-west commerce routes and has the potential to save 10-20 per cent more money than a pure air freight option.
In April, the Port of Salalah announced it is piloting an innovative solution to tackle freshwater scarcity together with A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk).
