KARACHI: Pakistan and Oman are working towards establishing Gwadar Port and Oman’s Sohar Port as sister ports to strengthen maritime connectivity, cargo movement and trade links between the two countries and wider regional markets.
The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Noor Ul Haq Baloch and Oman’s Consul General Sami Abdullah Salim Al Khanjari, with both sides agreeing to move towards finalising a memorandum of understanding (MoU) through their respective ministries in the coming weeks.
The proposed sister-port arrangement is aimed at creating a direct maritime link between the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and markets in the Gulf and Central Asia.
Officials said the arrangement could facilitate cargo movement between Gwadar and Sohar, reduce transit times and strengthen regional trade connections.
The two sides also discussed establishing direct air connectivity between Gwadar and Oman through Salam Air, using the newly developed Gwadar International Airport. The proposed service is intended to facilitate passenger movement and business activity between the two sides.
Potential Omani investment in the Gwadar Free Zone was also discussed, alongside possible joint ventures in logistics, warehousing and fisheries.
Pakistan and Oman further agreed to enhance technical cooperation in port management, dredging, digital port operations and capacity-building programmes for port personnel.
Al Khanjari assured Oman’s support for advancing the proposed cooperation framework, while the two sides agreed to pursue the MoU through their respective ministries.
