Sohar Port and Freezone has signed an agreement with Oman Maritime Waste Treatment to develop a full-fledged Marpol-compliant facility for vessel waste disposal.

The facility will also host multi-stage processing to comply with the most stringent standards of waste disposal, both at the anchorage area and within the port through a purpose-built vessel.

The project reinforces Sohar Port and Free Zone's commitment to incorporate environmentally friendly solutions and initiatives and promoting sustainable development in and around the port and freezone, a statement said.

The signing of the agreement took place at the Sohar Port and Freezone head office, and was signed between Dr Mohammed Nasser Ali Al Zaabi, chairman of the Board at Sohar Port and Freezone and Hritik Khimji, director of Khimji Ramdas, said a statement from the company.

Highlighting the importance of the new facility, Mark Geilenkirchen, chief executive officer of Sohar Port and Freezone, said: “We strive to do our best in spreading awareness about the adverse effects of water pollution, alongside promoting solutions that could minimise the same.”

“Given that Marpol is an extremely significant international marine environmental convention, the upcoming project will further support our efforts of providing better facilities to our tenants and a safe environment to communities in and around Sohar,” he said. 

Oman Maritime Waste Treatment is a joint venture between Khimji Ramdas of Oman, Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited of India and Nature Group of The Netherlands, whose main objective is the collection and disposal of waste from ships in adherence to the ‘International Protocol of Marpol’.

Khimji said: “We are extremely glad to partner with Sohar Port and Freezone in this initiative, especially one that is aimed at building and ensuring environment-friendly maritime operations in the sultanate.”

“It is a bold new step, continuing to pave a way to keep our oceans free of contamination and also allowing us to play our part in enhancing the quality of marine life in the region,” he added.

Mark added: “With the completion of the project, Oman will proudly present itself as one of the most advanced waste collection, disposal and treatment centres in maritime services in the world.”

“This will subsequently drive our efforts in becoming one of the more prominent port and free zone complexes across the region,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service