Overview
ASYAD Group (Arabic: assistance or support) was established to consolidate Oman’s fragmented logistics and port assets under a single national group, providing strategic direction, investment coordination, and operational synergies across Oman’s logistics infrastructure.
ASYAD’s portfolio includes:
- Port of Salalah — Oman’s largest container port, a major transhipment hub on the East-West shipping lane
- Port of Sohar — combined industrial and commercial port serving Sohar’s industrial cluster
- Port of Duqm — deep-water port for the Duqm SEZ, with dry dock facilities
- Oman Drydock Company — ship repair and maintenance facilities at Duqm
- ASYAD Express — freight forwarding and express logistics
- Muscat Logistics Centre — inland logistics hub
Port of Salalah
The Port of Salalah is ASYAD’s most strategically significant asset. Located on the southern Omani coast near the mouth of the Gulf of Aden, Salalah sits on the main East-West container shipping lane between Asia and Europe — one of the world’s busiest trade routes.
Salalah operates as a major transhipment hub, receiving large container vessels and transferring cargo to feeder vessels serving East Africa, the Red Sea, and the Indian Subcontinent. The port’s installed capacity exceeds 5 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually, with expansion phases underway.
Competitive advantage: Salalah’s geographical position outside the Persian Gulf means it is not subject to the congestion and weather constraints of Gulf ports, and is better positioned for East Africa and Arabian Sea feeder networks.
Port of Sohar
Sohar serves the Sohar Industrial Port Complex, handling bulk commodities (aluminium, steel, fertilisers) and project cargo for the industrial cluster. The port has expanded significantly to handle OQ’s downstream volumes and Jindal Shadeed’s steel exports.
Port of Duqm
The deep-water Port of Duqm, opened progressively from 2010, provides the maritime gateway for the Duqm Special Economic Zone. Its natural deep harbour accommodates very large vessels, including potential future LNG and ammonia tankers for green hydrogen export. The Oman Drydock facility at Duqm is one of the Middle East’s larger ship repair yards.
IMEC and Strategic Opportunity
The India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) initiative, announced in 2023, could transform Oman’s logistics position. IMEC envisions a shipping and rail corridor connecting India to Europe via the Gulf, and Oman’s ports — particularly Sohar and potentially Duqm — are positioned to be key nodes. Realisation of IMEC would significantly amplify ASYAD’s strategic value.