Oman’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) has unveiled plans to develop Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat as a tourism and waterfront destination, a report said.

Presenting investment opportunities for the redesign and development, particularly in the transport and logistics sector, Hanan al Rabbi, general manager, planning and studies, highlighted that work on the first phase of the project will be carried out between 2016 and 2019, the Oman Daily Observer reported.

The first phase will comprise a 180-room five-star hotel in marina, retail shops (boutiques) on the 7,500-sq-m main parks, a shopping centre covering an area of 39,000-sq-m, an office area of 4,600-sq-m, housing for rent (200 units), apartments for sale (56 units), branded homes for sale (219 units) and entertainment/ leisure centres.

The second phase of the project, which will be carried out from 2018 to 2022, will includes a 160-room five-star resort hotel, a 280-room four-star resort hotel, luxury homes of popular brands (83 units), housing from regular brands (338 units), sophisticated resort for recreation (4,100-sq-m), a 2,000-sq-m children’s club, a 1,000-sq-m beach club, a 2,000-sq-m sports complex, and a conferences and concerts area covering 2,000-sq-m, the report said.

The new port will support the country’s economy by creating 5,000 direct jobs, accommodating 10,000 visitors per day as well as enable increased international cruise liner arrivals, it said.

Several projects have been identified to be developed under the Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), which include the PSQ and Khasab Port among others, the report quoted Dr Ali al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry, as saying.