Asyad sets hydrogen corridor, net-zero course

MUSCAT, AUG 25: Asyad Group, the integrated logistics provider of the Sultanate of Oman, has set out an aggressive sustainability blueprint that ties the country's logistics expansion to green fuels, digitalisation and SME growth, mapping a path to net-zero emissions by 2050 and a potential liquid-hydrogen trade lane from Al Duqm to Amsterdam. The plans are detailed in the company’s new Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure (SDID), which aligns with Oman Vision 2040 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Wholly-owned by the Oman Investment Authority, Asyad operates across maritime transport, ports and free zones, public transport and logistics in more than 90 regions worldwide. The SDID adopts Impact Disclosure Taskforce guidance and concentrates on three strategic aims: integrated logistics, development of the local logistics ecosystem and embedding disruptive technologies. The report links these aims to SDGs 7, 8, 9, 13 and 17, underscoring Oman’s ambition to become a diversified logistics hub.
Maritime growth is central to the plan. Asyad intends to add 30 vessels to its mixed fleet over time, building on a 2025 baseline of 5 container ships, 23 bulk carriers, 34 product tankers, 22 crude tankers and 10 LNG carriers. The dry dock targets three additional shipbuilding projects, 174 ship repairs and two industrial steel fabrication projects by 2030. Efficiency retrofits — including propeller boss cap fins, pre-swirl ducts and rotor sails — are expected to cut fuel use and emissions, while feasibility work on e-methanol could position Oman’s ports as a “low-carbon molecule” hub.
The decarbonisation arc is explicit. Asyad’s total greenhouse gas emissions baseline is set at 1,847,787 tCO₂e (2022), with Group-wide net-zero targeted for 2050. Public transport operator Mwasalat will shift to clean energy, aiming for a 3% emissions reduction by 2030, 34% by 2040 and net-zero by mid-century; the proportion of Asyad’s “eco/green” fleet is slated to rise from 30% in 2023 to 86% by 2033.
Hydrogen is the hinge between industrial growth and lower carbon. Under a “historic agreement” at Port of Duqm, Asyad plans to develop a liquid-hydrogen corridor with the Port of Amsterdam and is procuring LH₂ vessels as part of its energy transition. If executed, the wider green hydrogen ecosystem could generate 70,000–80,000 construction jobs and 30,000–40,000 support roles by 2030. Complementing the seaborne trade lane, the Group’s concept for a 1,000-km north-south hydrogen pipeline — designed for 500,000 tonnes per annum — would support storage and transport needs for shipping, industry and mobility.
On trade facilitation, the Group is leaning on multi-modal, low-carbon logistics and AI-driven route optimisation while expanding green warehousing powered by renewables. Baselines highlighted in the SDID include 4.6 million TEUs handled in 2023, 33.5 million tonnes of general cargo exported through ports and 6,877 vessel calls that year. Asyad says it will broaden its network beyond today’s 90 global destinations and build on a 2023 contribution of $2.7 billion in foreign direct investment tied to its free zones at Suhar, Salalah and Al Duqm. The plan dovetails with Oman Vision 2040’s objective to elevate ports and logistics as a top contributor to GDP.
Local value creation is baked in. Through its Vendor Development Programme, Asyad intends to match SMEs with logistics contracts and build their technical capacity. In 2023, contracts worth around RO 38 million (about $98.7 million) went to local suppliers, with a further RO 10 million directed to more than 600 SMEs; the SDID sets baselines of $98.7 million to local suppliers and 600 SMEs supported for annual reporting. The Group also cites 400 jobs created for Omani nationals in 2023 as a starting point for deeper localisation.
Guardrails for delivery include waste-reduction initiatives, biodiversity protections such as ballast-water treatment systems and embedded HSSEQ practices. Asyad references a Code of Conduct, ESG and CSR policies; and adherence to Muscat Stock Exchange ESG disclosure guidelines. Subsidiaries maintain certifications that include ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment), ISO 45001 (health and safety) and ISO/IEC 27001 (information security).
Measured against the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, Oman posted a 3.2 score in 2023; Asyad frames a long-term aspiration of 3.8 as its infrastructure and services scale. The Group will report annually on targets in the SDID’s reporting table, a nod to investor-grade transparency as it seeks to marry throughput growth with lower emissions and broader economic participation. Execution — particularly on hydrogen infrastructure, fleet upgrades and SME integration — now becomes the test.