Rail connectivity between Dhofar and the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia could potentially position the Port of Salalah as a new maritime gateway for trade with the booming commercial heartland of the Gulf, according to its CEO. Peter Ford (pictured) said extended rail links from Salalah, over and above those envisaged under the Oman National Rail System, would help further the vision of the nation’s biggest port to become the distribution and logistics hub of the region. “Current plans to connect us to the coast of Oman and into the UAE could spell an entire shift in the supply chain for this region — more towards the European and American models — where new overland routes become the way of doing things rather than bringing vessels up into the Straits of Hormuz. Time will tell, but it presents significant opportunity for investigation.” Read More