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.

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.

Also constructed will be a 3.7-km-long North Breakwater to protect berths and an 800-m-long extension to the existing South Breakwater.