Exports from Oman’s Ras Markaz Terminal Announced

Oman Tank Terminal Company (OTTCO) has successfully handled 491 vessels at the Ras Markaz Terminal, located in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZD), from its launch in 2023 until the end of April 2025. During this period, the terminal imported over 950mn barrels of crude oil and exported approximately 17mn metric tonnes of petroleum products.

In a statement to the Oman News Agency, Eng Salem bin Marhoon al Hashmi, CEO of OTTCO, highlighted Oman’s growing role as a global energy logistics hub. He said, “These achievements are the result of the company’s commitment to the highest standards of safety and operational excellence, reinforcing its position as a key hub for ensuring energy security for Oman, as well as for regional and international markets.”

Hashmi noted that current storage services are meeting the needs of the local market, which has prompted a strategic shift towards expanding global storage operations. He explained that OTTCO has signed a strategic agreement with Royal Vopak, a leading Dutch storage firm, to transform Duqm into a global hub for storage services. This initiative aligns with OQ Group’s plans to establish a company specialising in the storage and handling of particulates.

“This partnership enhances our access to global markets, facilitates the localisation of international best practices, boosts the capabilities of Omani professionals in the energy logistics sector, and supports our sustainability goals. It also contributes to the storage and handling of ammonia and green hydrogen, in line with global trends towards clean energy,” he added.

Hashmi further emphasised OTTCO’s focus on the transition to clean energy, particularly in the storage and export of green ammonia. He stated that several preliminary studies have been completed to support the development of advanced infrastructure for the storage, handling, and export of green ammonia.

OTTCO is also working on the development of a shared smart infrastructure for storage services and is establishing international partnerships to facilitate the exchange of expertise and bolster development efforts. These initiatives are in line with Oman’s vision of becoming a leading regional centre for clean energy exports.

The Ras Markaz Terminal currently supports the Duqm Refinery via an 80km pipeline transporting crude oil from Ras Markaz to the refinery. The oil storage facilities comprise eight large storage tanks, floating platforms for the import and export of oil, a 7km subsea pipeline for oil transfer, and a pumping station to move oil into the tanks.

The terminal’s advanced technical features allow for the blending of various types of crude oil and enable vessels to be loaded and unloaded in record time. It is designed to store all types of crude oil in significant volumes outside the Strait of Hormuz, offering international companies the option to store their oil at the terminal for flexible durations. Spanning an area of 40 sq km, the terminal has a storage capacity of approximately 200mn barrels of oil.