Oman awards contract for Khor Grama marina tourism project

MUSCAT, AUG 11
The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MoTCIT) has awarded Meridian Engineering Consultancy the design and supervision contract for the Khor Grama development, a strategically located marine tourism project roughly 22 kilometres east of Sur in Ash Sharqiyah South. Meridian submitted the lowest bid for the consultancy package, quoted at RO 275,830.8, according to the public tender notices.
The consultancy brief is comprehensive. Meridian will be responsible for the detailed study and design of a marina capable of berthing about 75 luxury yachts and 20 excursion vessels, a dedicated fishermen’s bay, water-sports and entertainment zones, and support infrastructure including emergency and security facilities.
The scope also covers dredging of the marina channel and basin, levelling and landscaping of some 300,000 square metres, external infrastructure and services, shaded car parking and fuel pump facilities; consultants must also prepare construction tender documents and provide full technical supervision during delivery.
Khor Grama — Oman’s largest northern lagoon — has been positioned in official planning as a potential marine-tourism hub. The scheme’s masterplan and vision were developed by Italian firm Giò Forma in collaboration with regional consultant F&M Middle East, which previously worked on the site’s broader planning and technical strategies. The design emphasis, project literature says, is on enhancing local fishing communities while creating visitor amenities that leverage the lagoon’s calm waters and natural meanders.
The award follows an international tender process launched in August 2024 that attracted wide interest: authorities reported that 23 consultancy firms had purchased tender documents during the pre-qualification phase, underlining the project’s international appeal and the strategic importance placed on coastal tourism and regional connectivity. Project observers say timely delivery of the consultancy phase will be critical to keeping the development on schedule and to enabling the follow-on construction procurement.
Economically, Khor Grama is pitched to diversify local income streams and lift tourism footfall along the Ras al Hadd–Sur corridor. If delivery follows the masterplan, the marina and associated facilities are expected to create new maritime services and hospitality opportunities for local businesses while strengthening Oman’s coastal leisure offering to regional and international yachting markets. Meridian’s appointment starts the technical pipeline for turning the masterplan into tender-ready construction packages.