Hanjin Shipping launches operations from Sohar Port’s OICT

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31 Oct 2011

Hanjin Shipping, which ranks among the world’s top 10 container shipping lines, has commenced operations from Sohar Port’s Oman International

Container Terminal (OICT).
The move marks a significant ramp-up of the South Korean based international shipping giant’s operations in the Sultanate. It also heralds an anticipated trend by shipping lines to move their cargo operations to Sohar in the wake of the government’s recent decision to convert Port Sultan Qaboos into a maritime heritage port.
Y R Kim, Managing Director of Hanjin Middle East remarked, “Over the last few years, Hanjin Shipping has increased its presence across the Middle East. It gives us immense pleasure to extend our services to Sohar Port, which we consider a natural progression of our commitment to the region.”
P K Mohan, General Manager of Modern Shipping Services, which represents Hanjin Shipping in the Sultanate, was upbeat about the beneficial implications of the shipping giant’s decision to cover Sohar Port as well.
“This is quite a landmark in the history of Hanjin services in the Sultanate and proof of our commitment to the business world of Oman. We have always been close to the needs of our customers, and the new Sohar service of Hanjin gives us an opportunity to enhance our presence as well as service delivery in the country. We are totally committed to providing the highest standard of service at reasonable cost.”
In the initial stages, Hanjin plans to serve Sohar Port through common carriers or co-loading arrangements with space sharing partners. Depending upon the uptake of its new service, a weekly service is envisaged from Sohar.
According to Mohan, Sohar Port’s inclusion in Hanjin’s expansion plans has been on the cards for several months. Towards this end, a team of high-level officials from Hanjin Shipping had visited Sohar Port in February and June this year. The team comprised of Joong Hoon Kim, and Kwon of the Singapore office, and Y K Kim and Nam Bun Baik from the Dubai regional office. Joined by representatives of Modern Shipping, the team inspected OICT’s modern facilities and also conferred with Port of Sohar officials..
Importantly, Hanjin’s presence at Sohar Port will provide a wider range of shipping options for the industrial city’s business community, says Mohan. “Given Sohar’s rapid development, the need for a strong and reliable global carrier like Hanjin has become increasingly relevant. Importers and exporters can now benefit from Hanjin’s world-class services and unmatched connectivity to ship their goods speedily and effectively.”
Hanjin Shipping has a global service network which will helps Sohar customers to connect with their trade partners and containers from Sohar are transshipped via Khorfakkan and Jebel Ali to countries as far afield as Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, France, UK, Finland, Russia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Japan, Australia, Morocco, South Africa, United States, Canada and Brazil.
Billed as Korea’s biggest container liner, Hanjin operates around 60 liner and tramper services around the globe, transporting over 100 million tonnes of cargo annually. Its fleet consists of some 200 container ships, and bulk and LNG carriers.
With the commencement of operations from Sohar, Hanjin joins an expanding portfolio of international shipping lines that have added OICT to their regional shipping itineraries. OICT’s regular direct services link Sohar with the Far East, India subcontinent and the Gulf providing importers and exporters of Oman a wider choice of schedules and destinations, thereby offering competitive logistics solutions for their cargoes.
These services are provided by major worldwide players such as APL, Maersk Line, CMA-CGM, UASC, and so on, besides a number of NVOCCs.
Source: Oman Observer