APL Logistics to develop Oman as a regional logistics hub

APL Logistics Oman will spearhead efforts to develop Oman as a regional logistics hub to serve local and international customers.

The new Muscat-based venture is backed by APL Logistics’ deep logistics expertise and global execution experience.

Azfar Khan, APL Logistics’ General Manager for the Middle East and Africa, said that the sultanate has the potential to become a regional logistics hub. “Oman is an extremely attractive market for us as a company and that is why we are opening the doors here. It gives us an opportunity to provide in Oman the best-in-class service that we give our customers globally. We would also like to utilise the country’s strategic location to develop it as a hub for the Middle East and Africa, especially North and East Africa,”

Gopal R, global VP for supply chain & logistics transformation at Frost & Sullivan, said Oman has the potential to be a big player in the logistics sector due to its ideal location. Besides, the country enjoys good infrastructure in terms of roads, airports and ports.

He also pointed out that there is a significant opportunity for logistics service providers to play an important role in order to improve efficiency in Oman, adding that transportation and forwarding are the two predominantly outsourced services in Oman.

Oman last year came out with its logistics blueprint – Logistics Strategy 2040. According to plan, the government expects to double the contribution of logistics to GDP to RO3 billion by 2020, increase it to RO8 billion by 2030 and to reach RO14 billion by 2040. It also hopes that the logistics sector will be able to employ 300,000 people by 2040.