By: AGBI

A lull in Red Sea vessel attacks lifted shipping traffic through ports in Oman in the first half of the year, underscoring the premium on calm seas.

The total number of vessels calling at Oman’s ports and at offshore jetties increased by 11 percent in the first six months of 2025 compared with the same period last year, to just under 6,600 vessels, according to the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT).

The total volume of cargo handled by the ports increased by 5.2 percent during the first half of this year to 70 million tonnes, while container handling rose by 12 percent to 2.4 million TEU (20-foot equivalent units). 

“Less tension in the regional shipping conflict and the efficiency of logistics handling of the ports pushed up shipping demands,” the MTCIT report said.

Most of the shipping activities were handled by the ports in Salalah, Duqm, Shinas and Sultan Qaboos in Muscat.

Observers say hostilities are still a real threat in the Red Sea despite a temporary calm and Oman may not sustain the same shipping growth for long.

“The maritime attacks are unpredictable and Oman is lucky to post higher maritime trade in the last six months. It may not be so lucky in the next six months,” Mohammed Al-Sumri, a retired head of port cargo terminals at Salalah Port, told AGBI.

Just as the normalisation of maritime supply chains in the Red Sea was becoming a real prospect, attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels last month have reignited hostilities in the region. 

The two most recent violations targeted Greek-owned bulk vessels sailing under Liberian flags. The MV Magic Seas, carrying iron ore and fertiliser, was attacked west of the Yemeni city of Al Hudaydah with a combination of missiles and sea drones.

The attacks come after a period of calm in the region, which resulted from a ceasefire in May. For much of the year, US-led strikes had inflicted considerable damage on the Houthis, degrading military capabilities.