Ports of Oman

Oman's main commercial ports are Sohar on the Gulf of Oman and Salalah and Duqm on the Arabian Sea — the last two outside the Strait of Hormuz. In Muscat, Port Sultan Qaboos at Mutrah is now a cruise and tourism port, and Khasab serves Musandam.

Oman's ports at a glance

Port	Location	Sea	Main role
Sohar Port	Sohar, Al Batinah North	Gulf of Oman	Industrial port and freezone: containers, bulk, metals, petrochemicals
Port of Salalah	Raysut, Dhofar	Arabian Sea	Container transhipment hub, general cargo, cruise calls
Port of Duqm	Duqm, Al Wusta	Arabian Sea	Multi-purpose port in a Special Economic Zone, dry dock
Port Sultan Qaboos	Mutrah, Muscat	Gulf of Oman	Cruise ships, royal yachts and tourism (commercial cargo ended 2014)
Khasab Port	Khasab, Musandam	Strait of Hormuz	Dhow cruises, fishing and small regional trade

Other harbours include the fishing and marine port at Shinas, Sur's traditional dhow harbour, Ras Al Hadd and the industrial terminals at Mina al Fahal (oil export, Muscat) and Qalhat (LNG, near Sur).

Why the Arabian Sea ports matter

Salalah and Duqm lie on the open Arabian Sea, outside the Strait of Hormuz and close to the main Asia–Europe shipping lanes, so ships can call without entering the Gulf. Sohar, inside the Gulf of Oman but still outside the strait, is the country's main industrial port for the north.

Practical tips

Cruise passengers at Port Sultan Qaboos are a short walk from the Mutrah corniche and Mutrah Souq.
The commercial ports (Sohar, Salalah, Duqm) are secure industrial zones and not open to casual visitors.
Musandam dhow cruises leave from Khasab harbour.

Locations

Khasab Port (Ports, Musandam). Harbour at Khasab used by Musandam dhow cruises, fishing boats and small traders crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

Port Sultan Qaboos (Ports, Muscat). Mutrah's harbour, opened in 1974 as Mina Qaboos. Commercial cargo moved to Sohar in 2014 and the port now serves cruise ships, the royal yachts and tourism. Next to the Mutrah corniche and souq.

Port of Duqm (Ports, Al Wusta). Multi-purpose port on the Arabian Sea at Duqm, centrepiece of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD). Run by Port of Duqm Company, a joint venture of Asyad and the Antwerp port consortium; ship-repair dry dock alongside.

Port of Salalah (Ports, Dhofar). Container transhipment port at Raysut, south-west of Salalah, operated by Salalah Port Services with APM Terminals. Also handles general cargo and calls by cruise ships.

Port of Sohar (Ports, Al Batinah North). Deep-water industrial port and freezone north-west of Sohar, in operation since 2004 and run by SOHAR Port and Freezone, a 50/50 joint venture of Asyad Group and the Port of Rotterdam.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the main port of Oman?

There is no single main port: Sohar is the main industrial port of northern Oman, Salalah is the largest container (transhipment) port, and Duqm is the newest deep-water port. Muscat's Port Sultan Qaboos now handles mainly cruise ships.

Which ports in Oman are on the Arabian Sea?

Salalah (at Raysut) and Duqm are the main Arabian Sea ports. Sohar and Muscat's Port Sultan Qaboos are on the Gulf of Oman, and Khasab is on the Strait of Hormuz.

Where do cruise ships dock in Muscat?

At Port Sultan Qaboos in Mutrah, next to the corniche and Mutrah Souq.

Can the public visit Sohar, Salalah or Duqm port?

No — they are restricted industrial areas. Their locations are shown on the map for reference.

Is Salalah port the same as Port Salalah in Savannah?

No. The Port of Salalah is in Raysut, Oman, on the Arabian Sea; it has no connection with ports or terminals of a similar name elsewhere.