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Oman Oil Marketing Company has signed separate bunkering licence and land lease agreements with Port of Duqm Company to develop a bunkering terminal and carry out marine fuel deliveries at the Port of Duqm.

As per the first agreement, Oman Oil Marketing Company will be granted a licence to supply heavy fuel oil and marine diesel oil, as well as marine lubricants to ships calling at the port and surrounding waters.

The second agreement gives Oman Oil Marketing Company the green light to lease a specific site at the port in order to carry out its bunkering operations.

The agreements were signed by Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Port of Duqm Company (PDC) and Sheikh Salim bin Abdullah al-Rowas, Chairman of Oman Oil Marketing Company's Board.

Dr. al-Futaisi said that the agreement to provide marine vessels with fuels was important in attracting vessels to SEZAD (Special Economic Zone Authority Duqm), adding that the deal would lead to an increase in the number of vessels calling at the Port of Duqm.

Reggy Vermeulen, Commercial Director at Port of Duqm Company, said: "The signature of these two agreements are opening a new era in the port of Duqm. The Port will now be able to provide bunker services to the ships calling at the port, in addition, the ships being serviced at Oman Drydock will be directly capable to bunker up before taking the sea again. Up until now, the ships calling at the Port of Duqm were required to sail several days in order to reach a port for full bunkering.

"These agreements are the result of two years of negotiation and fine tuning, and we are proud to be able to join forces with an Omani company to offer services at the Port. The Port of Duqm strongly believes in the partnership with local key players in order to strengthen its role in the development and the diversification of the economy of the Sultanate of Oman."

Omar bin Ahmed Salim Qatan, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Oil Marketing Company, remarked: "Oman Oil Marketing Company is proud to be the strategic partner of the Port of Duqm Company to help develop the marine business at Duqm. We foresee the Port of Duqm as a future strategic bunker hub in southern Oman and we are both excited and proud to play our part to help achieve this vision.

"The location and unparalleled logistic potential of the Port of Duqm can help create a gateway that will lead to diversifying the nation’s economy towards regional maritime and transit-trade. We recognize the role of the Government of Oman in establishing the key infrastructure at Duqm and we highly appreciate the strong relationships already developed with Port of Duqm Company and the Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority, both entities of which will play a crucial role in the success of this endeavor."