The Special Economic Zone of Duqm (SEZAD) is one of the main investment zones in the Sultanate of Oman. The zone, established in 2011, is witnessing a good demand from investors thanks to its location, overlooking the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean and near international shipping lanes.
The zone is located in the Wilayat of Duqm, about 550 km from Muscat.
SEZAD offers many incentives to investors that include tax and customs exemptions and up-to-99-year land usufruct, in addition to the facilities and services provided by SEZAD One-Stop Station, which is considered the investment gateway in the zone as it issues various permits for commercial, industrial, tourism and real estate activities and logistics.
The zone includes many facilities that prepare it to attract local and international investments. It occupies an area of 2,000 square kilometers. Among them is Duqm Airport, which connects the zone with the Omani capital, Muscat.
While taking all precautionary measures to combat the coronavirus, the SEZAD has also implemented its plan to complete the infrastructure projects for the zone, particularly Duqm Port, according to Yahya bin Said al-Jabri, SEZAD Board Chairman.
The port has recorded high rates of completion in various construction packages.
Jabri said that SEZAD has called for tenders “for developing, managing and operating the Fishing Harbor."
The commercial berth is located along the main breakwater and has four stations, including two container terminals with a length of about 1,600 meters to handle 3.5 million standard containers annually, a station for dry bulk materials with a capacity of 5 million metric tons annually, and a multi-use plant with a capacity of 800,000 metric tons per year. He revealed the establishment of 37 various buildings, as well as a port operation area of one million square meters.
SEZAD data reflect a growing increase in investments. The volume of investment in the zone reached USD14 billion by the end of 2019, according to the usufruct agreements signed by the authority.
The zone has seen in 2020 the signing of a number of new agreements, the most prominent of which is a usufruct agreement to create a business park called "Maysan Square Duqm" that will be built in stages starting next year.
