Muscat: A. P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk), a global integrator of logistics, inaugurated a new corporate office at Sohar Freezone in Oman.
Present at the inauguration were Christopher Cook, Managing Director, Maersk UAE, Oman, and Qatar; Omar Al Mahrizi, Chief Executive Officer, Sohar Freezone, and senior leaders from Maersk and Sohar Freezone.
Christopher Cook said, “Oman is a significant market for us where we are committed to serving our important customers by bringing world-class integrated logistics solutions closer to them. Our ambition is to simplify the supply chains, make them efficient and transparent, and thus contribute towards the Oman Vision 2040 that aims at making Oman a competitive economy.” He added, “Sohar Freezone was a natural choice for us to set up our new office because of its strategic location at the port and the world-class infrastructure of road network and air connectivity on offer.”
The new office in Oman, the third one in the country after Muscat and Salalah, will allow Maersk to get closer to its customers and create meaningful interfaces with them. Besides ocean transportation, Maersk will offer a host of services and solutions to its customers in Oman such as landside transportation, including cross-border movement of cargo, customs clearances, warehousing & distribution, cold chain logistics and air freight.
Omar Mahmood Al Mahrizi, Chief Executive Officer of Sohar Freezone, said, “As a fully-integrated logistics and industrial hub enabling global business partnerships, we are pleased to welcome Maersk, a global integrated logistics company, as our latest tenant at Sohar Freezone. This partnership will enable us to streamline our operations further as we continue to focus on logistics and supply chain optimisation and strengthen our position as a smart logistics hub. Together with our partners, Sohar continues to support Oman’s ambitions to further expand the transport and logistics sector, as per the objectives laid out in the Oman Vision 2040.”
The new office complements the several other initiatives Maersk has undertaken to strengthen its footprint in Oman. In November 2022, Maersk added Khazaen Dry Port (KDP) to its extensive ‘Port of Call’ network, offering transportation, container terminal, and reefer container services to import and export goods easily. Around the same time, Maersk also launched a service through the Port of Salalah in Oman as a gateway to Yemen, ensuring seamless cargo movement. This has increased efficiency for the customers and has the potential to eliminate unexpected costs.