Stone laid for RO 50m Barka Marina project

BARKA: The foundation-stone for Barka Marina development project was laid on Tuesday in the Wilayat of Barka. The ceremony was attended by Shaikh Hilal bin Said al Hajri, Governor of South Al Batinah. Dr Hamad bin Said al Oufi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, was also present on the occasion. Nasser bin Salim al Siyabi, Executive Vice-President of Falcon Investments, said the cost of the project was RO 50 million, adding that 70 per cent of the project’s deep foundations had been completed in the commercial area. He said the project consists of different stages, to be implemented and opened over four years. It will have commercial, tourism and entertainment facilities. The ceremony included a presentation of three stages of the project. The actual area of the project is 115,200 sqm and building area 105,000 sqm. The leasable area is 40,000 sqm and the number of commercial units 450. The first and second stages will be opened by 2021 and the third stage in 2022. It will provide basic services for fisheries sector and other investment and commercial services that attract investment in the port. This comes after the recent completion of marine construction works and infrastructure development at the port, which were implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MoAF). The government is seeking a partnership with the private sector in implementing important strategic projects. The ministry has launched a public bid to invest on the fishing port in Barka in order to allow the private sector to invest and develop the port, ice factories, packing and processing plants, fish workshops, maintenance workshops, boats, restrooms and fishermen stores. Investment activities include a five-star hotel, restaurants, cafes, marinas, boat docks, dive clubs, excursions and various marine activities. — ONA