Port agency activities boost ISS Oman
2008-02-29
For ISS Oman, 2007 was a very successful year with substantial growth in all its various business sectors. As country manager Jim Robb explained: “The Omani economy has been booming and we have taken steps to take advantage of this economic expansion.”
The main success story for ISS in Oman is its port agency activities where the company turned in a healthy double-digit increase compared with 2006, handling in excess of 400 port calls. A wide range of vessel types were involved, including general cargoships, tankers and naval craft, as well as offshore vessels and dredgers.
According to Mr Robb: “The offshore market is now really taking off for us. The amount of local construction work is increasing as a result of infrastructure development and cyclone repairs, and this is generating a lot of marine related business.” Cruise port calls in Oman represent another area that ISS hopes to develop further, building on the expertise it has gained in other cruise centres around the world.
A new cruise terminal is being built in Muscat and Mr Robb believes this should give a big boost to the local cruise market, increasing the number of ships calling in the Omani capital. ISS’ operations in Oman are largely centred in Muscat, but over the past two years the company has expanded geographically — setting up an office in the port of Sohar as well.
Manned by dedicated ISS staff, this is already a busy operation, helping ISS to provide a high quality service in an area that is not always easy to operate in. “The volume of cargo is growing through Sohar and will only increase as new projects come on line,” said Mr Robb.
“Having a presence on the ground in Sohar is vital to meeting our customers’ needs in this market.”
Looking ahead to this year, ISS Oman will largely focus on consolidating the position of its existing marine services business.
However, the company is lookingat the possibility of growth in landside logistics, including a potentialexpansion of its current warehousing capacity.