Oman moves deadline to bid on Duqm bulk liquids terminal

The pre-qualification deadline for international engineering firms to submit applications to participate in a tender to design and build a major bulk liquids terminal at Duqm Port in Oman has been moved from 10 March to 7 April 2015.

Duqm Port hopes to become the anchor of a Special Economic Zone, and part of this plan is the launch of a major refinery at the port. The Special Economic Zone Authority, which is developing the liquid berth, said that pre-qualified companies will receive an invitation to tender in the second quarter of 2015.

The Authority plans to begin work at the port in the fourth quarter of 2015, with terminal handover scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2018. The facility will be equipped to store refined petroleum products and petrochemicals generated by the refinery and other petrochemical plants in the adjoining economic zone. The refinery’s proposed capacity is 230,000 barrels per day.

Besides the proposed terminal and refinery, an airport is under construction at Duqm. A rail-based freight and passenger transportation network to link the city with the national rail system has also been proposed.