By: Energetica

Port of Duqm’s Basin 2 is positioned to become a central hub for Oman’s emerging green steel and low-carbon metals industry within the adjacent Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD).

The development is being led by CAP Infra, a consortium of the Port of Duqm Company, DEME Group, and Port of Antwerp Bruges, with strategic investment from Investcorp Aberdeen Infrastructure Partners (AIIP). The joint venture is backing the USD 550 million development package.

The Port of Duqm's CEO, Reggy Vermeulen, stated that the project will involve dredging, constructing new quay walls, and installing platforms to handle high-volume cargo, directly supporting major industrial initiatives. He added that Basin 2 will at least double the port's current capacity, accommodating multiple industries within one integrated layout.

Major projects are anchoring this green metals strategy. A Kobe Steel-Mitsui partnership plans to produce 5 million tonnes of low-CO₂ direct reduced iron annually, while Brazilian miner Vale is developing a green iron complex. India’s Jindal Steel Duqm and Singapore’s Meranti Green Steel are also advancing multi-million-tonne low-carbon steel and iron projects.

These ventures are expected to drive significant bulk cargo traffic, which will be supported by Basin 2’s deep-draft berths, terminals, and logistics corridors. Vermeulen emphasised the port's multi-hub strategy, which aims to integrate mineral value chains for both export and domestic industrialisation.