MUSCAT: Hutchison Ports Sohar increased its average vessel operation rate (VOR) by 70 per cent, with its Terminal C hitting a record high of 169 moves per hour on January 21.
The increase in VOR is attributed to Hutchison’s investments in day-to-day port operations.
VOR refers to the number of container moves per hour that are carried out by those cranes deployed on a vessel. In general, the higher the VOR, the more productive the terminal.
Over the past year, Hutchison Ports Sohar has invested in building a world-class terminal facility to handle growing transhipment cargo throughput, as well as overland cargo from the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Big achievement
Of this accomplishment, Albert Pang, chief executive officer of Hutchison Ports Sohar, noted, “To achieve growth in what has been a challenging business environment for the port and shipping industry around the world is a tremendous achievement, and can be attributed in large part to our investment in technology and smart systems, as well as the continuous support from Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salim Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications, and the Sohar Port and Freezone.
“In the first quarter of 2018, 28 yard trucks, 20 trailers and four rubber tyred gantry cranes will be added to the equipment fleet at the terminal. I’m confident that these efforts will help establish Hutchison Ports Sohar as the preferred port-of-call in the region and that further investments will contribute to the growth of the local economy in the Al Batinah region and beyond,” he added.
