Global engineering consulting firms are preparing bids to design the planned Phase Three expansion of Oman’s Salalah Port, a top container shipment and logistics hub, a report said.

The expansion, estimated to cost several hundred million dollars, will include three new container berths, new government berths, dedicated cruise terminal, expanded breakwater arms, and a new approach channel, reported the Oman Observer.

The most significant upgrade is the expansion of the existing container terminal through the design and implementation of Quays Seven, Eight and Nine, each about 450-m long and about 500 m wide, according to officials.

The berths, which will add a further 1,350 m of quay wall to the port’s existing 2,500-m-long quay length, will be equipped with the backland infrastructure to support modern, efficient container terminal operations, the report said.

The successful bidder will also design and supervise the construction of a 3.7-km-long North Breakwater to protect berths against long-wave energy responsible for moored vessel motion.

The North Breakwater will also support a platform featuring a 1.2-km-long berth to accommodate cruise ships as well as government vessels. The breakwater will also enable the construction of a marina at its root, while also serving as a physical barrier separating the secured port zone from the adjacent surrounding areas.

The plan includes construction of an 800-m-long extension to the existing South Breakwater. As with the North Breakwater, the southern extension will be designed to protect the existing and future berths against long-wave energy.  The initiative will also help reduce swells along the liquid bulk jetties and existing container berths, the report said.

A 300-m-wide channel will be dredged to a depth of 19 m to accommodate two traffic lanes. The selected bidder will design and oversee the dredging of a new turning basin, and various access channels to the Phase Three expansion berths, and the berthing areas, according to the report.

A host of new structures and facilities are also envisioned for design and implementation as part of the Phase Three expansion, the report said.