Oman’s energy major Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has announced that work will continue on its Miraah solar farm project, despite its key technology partner, the US-based GlassPoint Solar, going into liquidation.

According to a report by the Oman Daily Observer, PDO’s giant 1,021MW solar farm is currently in an advanced stage of implementation at the Amal field in the south of the Sultanate. The State General Reserve Fund (SGRF), the largest sovereign wealth fund in Oman, owns 31% of shares in GlassPoint Solar, which is headquartered in California. Royal Dutch Shell is also a major stakeholder.

Construction on the project began in October 2015, and part of the vast scheme is already in operation. At full capacity, the plant will feature a total of 36 glasshouse modules, covering an area of more than 360 football pitches, the report added.

The report said that GlassPoint Solar, regarded as a pioneer in the of solar energy for steam generation in heavy oil production, was facing liquidation in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

On May 16, 2020, PDO released a statement addressing GlassPoint Solar’s liquidation, stating that: “PDO is proud of the flagship Miraah project delivered using GlassPoint technology in our Amal solar steam operations. PDO is fully equipped to operate the solar facilities to its full potential and remains firmly committed to renewable energy and its ongoing transition to a fully-fledged energy company.”

In recent years, the Sultanate had emerged as a key focal point for GlassPoint Solar’s Middle East operations. In addition to its important partnership with PDO, GlassPoint Solar had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Occidental Oman in November 2018 for the development of a world-scale solar thermal energy, exceeding 2 gigawatts in capacity, at the Mukhaizna heavy oil field in the Sultanate.

After a special board meeting last month, the CEO of Glasspoint Solar wrote to employees that a decision has been taken to immediately place GlassPoint in a voluntary liquidation process.

This followed Mitsui informing the board that due to the very difficult economic circumstances and uncertainty around the global Covid-19 pandemic, it cannot make the necessary and planned investment in GlassPoint at this time.

A Shell spokesperson has been quoted as saying that GlassPoint has not been able to secure the funding needed to allow the company to continue as planned.

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The total value of property transactions in Oman during the first two months of the year surged by 24% to hit $1.63 billion, from $1.3 billion for the same period last year, statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) have shown.

However, according to a report by Oman News Agency, citing the statistics from NCSI, the number of plots issued till February was 36,523, down by 5.7% compared to the same time in 2019. Of the total traded value till February, $430.1 million worth of transactions were sales contracts, while $1.18 billion worth of transactions were mortgage deals.

As many as 9,706 sales contracts were executed in February against 10,496 contracts during the same period last year. However, the total number of mortgage contracts fell by 3.1% to reach 2,435 contracts as compared to 2,514 contracts in 2019, the ONA report said.

The Sultanate’s government had collected $35.3 million in real estate transaction fees till the end of February, which is a 12% drop compared to the same period in 2019, it concluded.

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Al Sahawa Cement Company (ASCC), a key subsidiary of Oman Cement Company, is set to invite bids by mid-July for two key tenders linked to the construction of a new $212 million integrated cement plant in the Special Economic Zone of Duqm region, in the Sultanate of Oman.

According to a report by the Oman Daily Observer, at the heart of the project is a 5,000 tonne per day (tpd) clinker production unit – the contract for which is proposed to be awarded on an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis.

Work on the clinker facility is expected to be conducted in parallel with the construction of a cement grinding unit, the report added. Commissioning is slated for March 2022, it said.

Oman Cement is the Sultanate’s first cement manufacturer. It has also invited bids for the supply and installation of a captive thermal power plant, featuring a pair of turbines each of 15MW capacity. The plant is expected to utilise waste gases from the cement mill to generate electricity.

This will dramatically reduce the new project’s energy costs, as well as mitigating its carbon footprint, the report concluded.

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Oman has begun commercial operations of its independent power project (IPP), located in Amin at the south of the Block 6 license of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), it has been announced.

According to a report by Oman Observer, the project will feature 336,00 solar panels and will have a capacity of 105MWac. The project is also the Sultanate’s first utility-scale photovoltaic scheme, it added.

PDO has been a global pioneer in the use of solar energy to generate steam necessary for its Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) operations. To this end, PDO is overseeing the implementation of the 1gigawatt Miraah project, which will harness solar energy to produce heavy oil from the Amal oilfield instead of natural gas for steam generation.

The Amin solar farm came on stream earlier this week, after several weeks of performance testing and commissioning, the report said, citing a senior official. In January this year, the developer the project, Amin Renewable Energy Company (AREC) was awarded a generation license (renewable energy) by the Authority for Electricity Regulation, Oman.

The Muscat-based AREC is a consortium led by the Japanese-based international conglomerate, Marubeni Corporation, with key partners including Oman Gas Company, Bahwan Renewable Energy Company and Nebras.

In January 2019, AREC was awarded a contract to develop, finance, build, operate and maintain what is being billed as the world’s first utility-scale solar project, with an oil and gas company as the off-taker of its electricity output, the report added.

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Doosan Portable Power (DPP) has appointed Muscat-based General Engineering Services LLC (Genserv) as the authorised dealer for DPP generator and lighting tower ranges in the Sultanate of Oman, making it the latest in an 11-strong network of dealers for the brand in 10 Middle East countries.

A statement from DPP said that as an authorised dealer Genserv supplies the brand’s full range of gensets for the Middle East, with prime power outputs from 20 to 850 kVA. DPP’s Middle East range is designed for use in higher temperatures and more remote locations, and meet both prime power production requirements and temporary/stand-by or more extended needs.

Alongside the generators, Genserv is also selling the Doosan LCV6-50Hz portable light tower, said DPP. The model, featuring a Kubota engine paired with a 6kW alternator for concurrent light and power with a 105-hour run-time, is designed for providing lighting on road and bridge construction sites, all general construction applications as well as providing lighting for special events, emergency and disaster relief, oil & gas drilling and for mining and quarrying locations.

Genserv started as a dealer for engine spare parts in 1982 and now provides a wide range of solutions in Oman for the construction, mechanical, power and warehousing sectors. The company says it aims to maintain a high percentage of spare parts availability, ensuring minimum downtime and enabling customers to keep plant and machinery operating and productive.

Mustafa El Bawab, GM, Genserv, said: “We are delighted to be appointed the authorised dealer for DPP generators and light towers in Oman. Adding another high-quality brand to our expanding portfolio allows us to offer even more solutions for customers in Oman and we look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with DPP for many years to come.”

Olivier Rasmont, DPP Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, added: “Genserv represents a very exciting expansion of the DPP dealer network for the Middle East. We are very impressed with the way Genserv does business – I am confident it will be a successful relationship for both companies and our customers in Oman.”

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Sterling and Wilson Solar, a unit of the Indian construction group Shapoorji Pallonji, and one of the largest solar EPC solutions providers in the world, has announced the successful commissioning of Amin Solar PV development in Oman.

The announcement is a major landmark for Sterling and Wilson Solar as it the first Indian company to commission a solar PV project in the region. The Amin Solar PV project is supported by the Japanese-Omani consortium Marubeni Corporation, Oman Gas Company, Bahwan Renewable Energy Company and Nebras Power.

The Amin solar project has an installed capacity of 125MW (DC) and is Oman’s first renewables-based Independent Power Project (IPP), a statement said. It is also the biggest single-unit solar park in the world to use bifacial modules, which generates less heat and can withstand the desert’s temperature fluctuations.

Lauding the achievement, Director and Global CEO Bikesh Ogra said: “This is one of the most prestigious projects for Sterling and Wilson Solar. We are delighted to commission the Amin Solar PV Power Plant in Oman and to be working with a competent player such as Amin Renewable Energy Company.”

“Being a dominant player in the Middle East, this project marks our entry in the Oman market, which supports the government’s vision for a clean and sustainable future.”

“SWSL constantly emphasizes on customer centricity, implementation and delivery excellence which has assisted us to make inroads in strategically situated markets that have favourable solar power procedures and high solar properties”, stated Ogra.

The photovoltaic plant is located 210km northwest of Thumrait and has an installed capacity of 125MW (DC). Due to the rocky ground conditions, SWSL deployed 165 earth moving machines at site to excavate the 100km cable trench in a very limited time period, the statement added.

Sterling and Wilson Solar has commissioned a series of high-performing solar power projects globally and has to its credit around 9.2 GWp projects in various geographies. This portfolio includes a 1,177 MWp solar project in Abu Dhabi – one of the world’s largest single location Solar PV plants. SWSL also manages a portfolio of 7.4 GWp of O&M projects globally.

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The OPEC Fund for International Development has signed a strategic partnership with Oman to drive development in line with the country’s ambitions to become a major regional logistics hub.

The first joint project, the Alsharqiya Expressway Tunnels Project, is already underway to improve connectivity between the north and eastern regions of the country, the OPEC Fund said in a statement.

The $130 million project is co-financed by an OPEC Fund public sector loan and the Omani government.

The fund said that the project aligns with the Sultanate’s plans to strengthen the transportation sector to reinforce its credentials as a regional logistics hub.

‘The Alsharqiya Expressway Tunnels Project is one of a series of investments with this goal in mind, and the OPEC Fund stands ready to provide further support,’ the statement added.

As part of the project, two ‘twin-tube’ tunnels have been constructed with a combined length of four kilometres. The tunnels safely bypass a critical floodplain, a major town and an area prone to landslides. The ultimate objective is to provide better access to jobs, markets and public services.

OPEC Fund Director-General Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “We are delighted to launch a major development partnership with Oman. It is befitting to mark the beginning of our cooperation with such a landmark project that includes the first-ever tunnels in the country and provides safer travel for over one million people.”

Established in 1976 by the then 13 member countries of OPEC; including the UAE, the Fund is the development finance institution established as a channel of aid to developing countries.

“We look forward to building our partnership and working on many more development projects together,” noted Alkhalifa.

The project aligns with a number of sustainable development goals including SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, and SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth. In addition, agriculture and tourism, two key sources of income-generation in the region, will be strengthened, he added.

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An agreement has been signed between Mazoon Electricity Company and Oman Environmental Services Holding Company (Be’ah) for the safe collection and disposal of lead acid batteries (LAB), in line with environmental sustainability practices.

As per the terms of the deal, Be’ah will be responsible for collecting and transporting LAB from the Mazoon Electricity plant to a certified processing and recycling facility. The move supports Mazoon Electricity in ensuring its work processes are in accordance with the stipulated environmental laws of the sultanate, says the statement from Mazoon.

The Oman environmental services company will also provide Mazoon Electricity with approved LAB waste collection pallets that help hinder acids from leaking.

Mazoon Electricity states that it is devoted to work processes and products, which has enabled it to help protect and reduce environmental impact and secure the wellness, health and operational safety of its employees and community. The firm also says that it pursues business activities that promote environmental protection and conservation.

In its statement, the company says it recognises that acts such as the safe disposal of LAB contributes to preserving biodiversity and creating a healthy global environment. It also plans to support Be’ah’s long-term objective to create infrastructure which is sustainable, transforming waste management and driving a conscious habit to nurture a sustainable future.

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Al Mouj Muscat has begun initial construction works at its marina-facing Juman Two apartment project. The move follows the completion of ground-breaking and piling works at the development.

Located on the Al Mouj Muscat oceanfront, Juman Two is said to offer a choice of 152 one- and two-bedroom living spaces from ground floor manor units to penthouse level apartments.

“We are delighted to announce the launch of construction at our latest residential offering – Juman Two apartments. We are thrilled that the demand for convenient and accessible luxury living has remained robust, and as a result, Juman Two is well positioned to address this need with its ample space and ultra-contemporary design. Again Al Mouj Muscat seems to have produced a product that has hit the right niche in the market. We are proud to now be able to deliver on our promise to our customers who have yet again shown their trust in the Al Mouj Muscat brand,” said Al Mouj Muscat CEO Nasser bin Masoud Al Sheibani.

The project is said to be have been designed by a team of international architects and designers.

Al Sheibani added, “Our research demonstrates that Juman Two’s premium apartments meet the needs of a diverse cross-section of buyers, from young professionals with an active lifestyle to empty-nest residents maintaining an inspiring standard of living. As the global economy bounces back gradually, we will see buyers and investors looking again for opportunities that offer both lifestyle quality and strong long-term value.”

He noted that Juman Two residents will have access to a range of established amenities and facilities that Al Mouj Muscat offers including restaurants and cafés, four- and five-star hotels, a nursery, a community beach, the nearby Greg Norman signature golf course, marina facilities and a more wellness-focused lifestyle.

Al Mouj Muscat is a public-private venture between UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim Properties and Oman’s tourism development company, Omran, and investments development company Tanmia.

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Turkish heavy lift and transport specialist Hareket has completed a project at the Duqm Refinery in Oman in which it lifted and installed nine bullet tanks for liquid petroleum gas (LPG).

Each tank formed a load of 900t with rigging and was 72m long and 8m in diameter, said Hereket. The weight of each tank was 810m for the bare vessel without rigging. Hareket had the responsibility to engineer, execute and supervise the critical lifts and it carried out the operation safely and on time.

The Turkish company used a pair of large lattice-boom crawler cranes to engineer a tandem lift, using a 1,600t capacity Demag CC 8800-1 on one end with a 66m SSL superlift configuration and 550t of superlift counterweight, while a 1,250t capacity Demag CC 6800-1 took care of the other end in a 54m SSL superlift configuration with 450t of superlift ballast.

The refinery, 600km south of Muscat and part of the $15bn Duqm Special Economic Zone, is a joint venture between Petrofac International Limited and Samsung Engineering Co Limited. The zone is focused on petrochemicals and infrastructure over the next 15 years and is a 1,745 square kilometre area with a 70km coastline on the Arabian Sea.

Heeseok Woo, mechanical superintendent at Petrofac Samsung Engineering JV, which contracted Hareket for the job, said: “We appreciate Hareket’s professional team in executing the works safely and in time.”

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Three60 Communities says it has posted substantial savings of $1.9 million in utility expenses across communities it manages during the first five months of 2020,

The Eltizam Asset Management Group subsidiary noted in a statement that the figure represents an increase of 49% in savings compared to the same period last year.

The company added that the plan was introduced in line with UAE Energy Strategy 2050 and it has, “focused on developing and deploying comprehensive energy and utility management plans across its portfolio, in an effort to reduce each community’s carbon footprint, while lowering operating costs at the same time.”

With savings from January to May 2020 totaling $1.17 million, the biggest savings came from the electricity consumption reduction. Chilled water consumption savings totaled $625,000, which was achieved through continuous monitoring and control of chilled water flow and temperature”.

Water consumption across the communities also went down during the period, leading to savings of $109,000, said Three60.

Conservation initiatives have included the installation of LED lights in common areas and sensor lights in parking bays of some communities. The insulation of the common areas’ chilled water lines and the regular maintenance of thermostats have also resulted in considerable energy savings, as well as the installation of chiller rigging, sun protection films and new building management systems in certain communities, the firm explained.

It has also modified lighting circuits for day and nighttime operation as well as scheduled the regular maintenance of filtration pump and filter to ensure that only clean water flows into the pools.

To lower the communities’ chilled water consumption by 30%, variable frequency drives (VFD) and adiabatic system have been deployed.

“We closely worked with different communities for the implementation of these measures to achieve maximum energy and water savings in 2020 and the coming years,” said Mohammed Alsharaf, COO, Eltizam Asset Management Group, UAE and Oman. “Our efforts are according to the principles behind the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pillar of the new Get Wonky culture of Eltizam. The CSR pillar covers various areas, including energy efficiency, to ensure a maximum positive impact for the benefit of our valued owners.

“These initiatives have been implemented as part of the company’s strategy this year to shift to a proactive energy management model, which is now an integral part of any new contract. At Three60, we seek to provide owners and occupants with a sustainable community where they can live, work, and play happily. Our measures reflect this commitment.”

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Following high-profile advisory project wins in Saudi Arabia and across the region, JLL, a leading professional services firm that specialises in real estate and investment management, has announced that it has strengthened its healthcare offering.

In a statement, JLL said that its healthcare team recently advised on a partnership between Al Murjan Group, a Saudi family business group, and Mediclinic Middle East, part of the UK’s Mediclinic International. This partnership will see the establishment of an international accredited private hospital with 200 beds in the city of Jeddah.

As per the terms of the agreement, Mediclinic Middle East will manage the hospital and support Al Murjan Group with its expertise and advisory services in planning, design and construction, with the commissioning of the hospital expected to open by the second quarter of 2022.

Additionally, JLL is growing its offering to respond to upcoming Public Private Partnerships (PPP) projects in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Oman, as it believes that these projects will attract interest from in international healthcare operators looking to partner with local investors and developers.

Thierry Delvaux, CEO of JLL MEA, said: “The region’s population has been rapidly growing, and over the past five years it has seen an average increase of 2.1% to reach approximately 56.2 million, according to Oxford Economics. This type of population growth is well above the global average growth rate of 1.1%, and therefore it is imperative that governments and the private sector continue to actively drive the advancement of healthcare infrastructure in the region.”

Governments across the Middle East have been investing heavily in expanding and upgrading their healthcare systems in recent years. However, according to JLL, they will need to adapt and evolve even faster, particularly given the need for greater focus on local healthcare capability development.

As part of the 2020 budget, Saudi Arabia’s government allocated 16.4% of its spending on the healthcare sector, while the UAE allocated $1.36 billion towards healthcare spending, a 26% increase from 2016.

“Regional governments are working actively to enhance the quality of their healthcare,” said Sandeep Sinha, the recently appointed new Head of Healthcare, Strategic Consulting at JLL MENA, who will oversee the growth of JLL’s healthcare practice in the region.

“This is a significant time for the industry, particularly with the increase of private investment into the sector, as well as upcoming healthcare PPP projects across the region.”

JLL, whose healthcare solutions span across healthcare delivery, pharmaceuticals, life sciences and medical technology sub-segments, says there are three key pillars that will drive the future of the industry in the Middle East, including: private sector participation; advanced infrastructure; and technology.

Investment into healthcare in the GCC countries will also continue to grow, according to JLL, and will consist of a range of factors including the need to build world-class healthcare infrastructure, expertise and services as GCC governments have increasingly come to recognise the potential for attracting medical tourists from overseas to the region.

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Galfar Engineering and Construction, an Omani contractor, has said that it has secured a contract worth $298 million from the Ministry of Transport, for the construction of a key stretch of the Adam-Thamrait dualization project.

The Adam-Thamrait Road is a principal carriageway linking North Oman with the Dhofar Governorate in the South. The Part 4 package covers the dualization of a 135km road, which is two to four lanes from the Wilayat of Muqshin to Wadi Duka.

Parsons International has been appointed as the study, detailed design, preliminary design and construction supervision consultant, the statement added.

According to the contract, Galfar will complete the work on Part 4 of the Adam-Thamrait Road dualization project within three years, the Omani company added.

It said that mobilisation work will take another three months.

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Oman’s Salalah Free Zone has signed an agreement with a UAE investor for the establishment of a Technology City, at an investment of $350 million, it has been announced.

According to a report by the Oman Observer, the Tech City will be spread over an area of 500,000sqm and will feature a data park, technology academy and other support facilities. It is the latest in a string of investments that have underscored the robust investment into the Salalah Free Zone, a top official was quoted as saying in the report.

The MoU signed envisages a Technology City for innovation and fourth-generation technologies, said Ali bin Mohammed Tabouk, CEO of the Tech City.

“We have inked seven investment agreements during the first half, thus taking the total number of signed projects till date in Salalah Free Zone (SFZ) to 88, representing around $8.7 billion in total investments, with the potential to create more than 8,000 direct jobs,” noted Tabouk.

He pointed out that amongst the recent signings is a contract for the construction of Phase Two of Al Mazaya Logistics Station, which offers 134,000 sqm of storage area and land for the development of facilities and amenities for tenants in the free zone.

Welcoming the free zone’s role in driving the economic diversification of Dhofar, Governor Sayyid Mohammed bin Sultan al Busaidi said: “[The free zone] aims to support development efforts in Dhofar and contribute to the diversity of sources of income and the growth of the national economy.”

“We commend the successes achieved in Salalah Free Zone and its aspirations to become a global and regional center for attracting investments,” he stated.

Chairman Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrazi said Salalah Free Zone’s success in attracting $8.7 billion in investments will translate into developmental benefits for the national economy while also spawning business opportunities for national companies and SMEs.

“These investments will also support job creation for citizens and drive technology inflows, stated Al Mahrazi, also the Minister of Tourism.

“Within this framework we continue to organise promotional campaigns in target markets such as India, Turkey, Iran, South Africa and other markets with a focus on attracting quality investments in logistics, manufacturing, and innovation-based technology,” he concluded.

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Petrofac has announced that its Rabab Harweel Integrated Project (RHIP) team has received the completion certificate from Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), acknowledging the successful delivery of a project worth $1.25 billion.

In a statement on its website, Petrofac said that the project is located in the Harweel cluster of fields, deep in the South Oman desert. The huge new development encompasses gathering systems, sour gas processing facilities, injection systems and all associated flowlines and pipelines.

Petrofac added that it had provided engineering, procurement, construction management and commissioning support services. It was Petrofac’s first PDO project where a new commercial contract model (EPCm) was introduced.

“This meant it being delivered on a reimbursable basis, where incentives were linked to the achievement of specific milestones and a shared benefit on procurement savings,” the statement said.

“In-Country Value (ICV) was a critical consideration throughout the project. We exceeded all our targets for Omanisation. Also, more than a third of the project’s total procurement value was sourced in the Sultanate.”

“Achieving this milestone marks the successful completion of a six-year project journey. RHIP has also helped us to build on our existing long-term partnership with PDO, which is now continued through Yibal Khuff and our other PDO Framework projects.

“This success is down to all the people involved and a ONE Team approach, particularly as we have had to overcome the recent Covid-19 related oil and gas industry challenges,” said Khalid Abdul Kadar, project manager, who has been leading the close out of the project, in parallel with his responsibilities on the Yibal Khuff project for PDO.

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Oman’s Ministry of Transport has said that it has begun work on the Rusayl-BidBid road expansion project, which on completion will see the construction of four lanes on each side and a number of new flyovers.

A statement from the Ministry of Transport said that the 27km long project, which begins from Rusayl-Nizwa Interchange on the Muscat Expressway and ends at the Al-Sharqiyah Expressway Interchange in BidBid, will also feature pedestrian tunnels and bridges, along with rainwater drainage facilities.

The Rusayl-BidBid road is a vital network for the government, as it presently handles 3,000 cars per hour during rush hour. Once expansion work is completed, the road will be able to accommodate 8,030 cars per hour at peak capacity, the ministry statement added.

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Oman’s Ministry of Transport has opened the 39-kilometre-long main road of the Ibri-Yanqul dual carriageway project for traffic, following the completion of the remaining 10-kilometres stretch within Phase one of the project, it has been announced.

According to a report by Oman News Agency, the move means that 262-kilometres of the Adam-Haima-Thumrait dual carriageway project has now been opened for traffic, out of the 317.5 kilometres that constitutes the overall length of the road, which starts from the Adam region in the A’Dhakiliya governorate to the Haima region in the Al Wusta governorate.

The opening of this dual carriageway comes after the completion of the remaining part in Phase One, a 10km stretch that starts from the Al-Areedh area and ends in the Khadel area in wilayat Ibri, the Ministry explained.

The Ibri-Yanqul dual carriageway road is considered to be a vital project for the Al-Dhahirah Governorate as it will benefit villages along the route, like Al-Areedh, Khadeel, Majzi, Al-Dhowehrya, Al-Raki, and Seea, the report added.

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Oman has announced that its under development solar power plant, Ibri II, is expected to begin operations in the middle of 2021. The project is being built at a cost of $400m near Ibri, the capital of the Dhahirah Governorate, and will generate about 1,300-gigawatt hours of power annually.

Billed as the largest solar plant in the country, the project is expected to power up to 33,000 homes and remove 340,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from the country’s footprint per annum, according to a report by the Oman Observer.

Construction on the power plant began in the second quarter of 2020 and once completed, it will supply power to the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company. The project is being developed by Acwa Power and two Kuwaiti companies – Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) and Alternative Energy Projects Company – with funding being decided on a build, own, operate basis, with a 70:30 debt to equity ratio.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will offer a 16.5-year loan along with Bank Muscat, Riyad Bank, Warba Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Siemens Bank.

The project is part of the sultanate’s efforts to diversify its sources of energy, which are currently mainly sourced from fossil-fuels such as oil and natural gas, which are in turn part of the country’s Tanfeedh plans for economic expansion, the report noted.

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The Oman Ministry of Housing has announced that it has transferred 1,514 land plots and real estate properties to citizens over the last two years.

The authority began transferring plots in November 2018 and the plots are said to be spread over different governorates across the sultanate.

According to a report by ONA, the move is in response to a royal decree which bans non-Omanis’ ownership of land plots and properties in certain areas.

As per Housing Ministry data, the majority of the transferred land plots and properties (748) were in Al Buraimi Governorate, followed by 297 in A’Dhahira Governorate; 228 in North Al Batinah Governorate; 170 in Musandam Governorate; 67 in Al Wusta Governorate, 3 in Dhofar Governorate (excluding Salalah) and one in Masira Island, the report said.

The report noted that the ministry has set November as the deadline for execution of legal action as per the two statutes on transfer of title deeds of properties to Omanis.

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Iskan Oman Investment Company has joined hands with the Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (SEZAD) to develop an integrated academic city that will be built over an area of one million square metres and will feature higher education colleges, it has been announced.

The master planning of the area, which will also include commercial, residential and hospitality zones, was completed by Iskan Investment and approved by SEZAD, a statement said. It added that as part of the first phase of the development, Iskan has entered into a sub-usufruct agreement with Middle East Education Venture (MEEV) to develop a portion of land for setting up a higher education college in SEZAD area, a statement said.

The new college will be the core of the university city project that Iskan Oman is planning to establish in a phased manner in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm. It will launch its first programme in the academic year 2021-2022.

The higher education college is the second investment for Iskan Investment at SEZD having previously developed a healthcare facility that has been operational since 2017.

Iskan Oman Investment Company has interests in key sectors such as education, real estate and infrastructure, as well as a diversified base of shareholders from Oman and Kuwait.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Sultan Al Yaqoubi, vice chairman of Iskan Investment Board of Directors, dubbed it as one of the company’s priorities, and said it was a perfect example for Iskan’s ‘responsible investment.’

Iskan Investment was formed in 2008 with pension funds and corporations from Oman and Kuwait shareholders. Since its inauguration, Iskan Investment invested in establishing and developing a number of schools, real estate and healthcare facilities.

Dr Abdullah Al Sabahi, chairman of MEEV, said that he envisages working closely with the Ministry of higher Education, the Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (SEZAD), and Iskan Investment to implement the proposed college in line with Oman’s 2040 Vision strategy.

“We are keen on establishing centres for competence, a centre for marine science and a centre for logistics and renewable energy,” he stated.

“The purpose of these centres is to promote research commercialisation, build capacity and bring solutions to the social and industrial requirements,” he concluded.

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