Bulking up Sohar Bulk Terminal
A
landmark decision by the Port of Sohar to establish a dedicated terminal for the handling of aggregates, minerals and dry bulk commodities has begun to pay healthy dividends barely a year since a long-term concession was awarded to this effect. Exports of gabbro – an industrial mineral used in concrete and asphalt mixtures – have picked up, while miners of raw minerals are gearing up to capitalise on this new facility to grow their respective businesses. Dubbed the ‘Sohar Bulk Terminal’, the new dry bulk jetty promises to serve as a powerful catalyst that will open up the vast hinterland of Oman’s Batinah North and South governorates to mining, quarrying and mineral-based investment. Already, the hinterland is a prodigious source of copper concentrate, chromite and marble, and constructiongrade aggregate, much of which is shipped out via Sohar Port.
In December 2011, the consortium of Khimji Ramdas Shipping of Oman and India-based Tata Martrade International Logistics Limited (TMILL), a subsidiary of Tata Steel, signed a long-term concession agreement with Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIPC) for the operation of the Sohar Bulk Terminal at the industrial hub. The terminal has been built as an extension of the 1,380-metrelong deepwater jetty currently operated by Vale Oman as part of its massive iron ore pelletising plant and distribution complex at Sohar. A 220-metre length of the jetty has been developed into a dry bulk mineral terminal. Designed to serve both import and export cargoes, the terminal will have a capacity to handle up to 10 million tons of aggregates and dry bulk commodities per year. In addition, the Common Operator will secure a lease for a plot of land, initially of around nine hectares, for use as a stockyard catering to all kinds of mineral ores, aggregates and dry bulk commodities. The stockyard, located just behind the plot of L&T Heavy Engineering, will be connected to the Dry Bulk Terminal by means of a conveyor system. The stockyard can also be utilized for blending, processing and other value addition investments. While Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIPC) has invested in the jetty infrastructure, the superstructure along with the loaders and unloaders, as well as conveyors systems and utilities, will be provided for by the common operator. The JV has engaged the services of a specialised design consultant to prepare a preliminary engineering concept plan and evaluate the superstructure requirements linked to the
88 Port of Sohar 2013
operation of a 10 million tons per annum capacity terminal. This is being done in consultation with SIPC’s technical team. The terminal will be equipped to handle various kinds of minerals, including aggregates, ores, limestone and thermal coal, to name a few. Among the major superstructure facilities envisaged for installation at the terminal is a combined ship loader/unloader with a loading capacity of 4500 tons per hour (TPH) and unloading capacity of 2500 TPH. Also planned is a 3.6 kilometre long unified conveying system for inbound and outbound cargo. Furthermore, a combined stacker and reclaimer system is proposed to be established at the 9-hectare storage yard earmarked by SIPC for dry bulk volumes. The equipment is targeted for installation and commissioned within 18 months of the approval of the evaluation study. But pending the completion of superstructure facilities at the new terminal, dry bulk volumes are currently being handled from Berth No. 14, which has been temporarily allocated to the joint venture operator. A 45,000 sq metre area has also been earmarked for use as a provisional stockyard adjoining this temporary berth. The berth has been equipped to handle around 10,000 tons per day of aggregates and raw minerals,