The Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn) has initiated the development of a new industrial city in Musandam Governorate – the first of its kind in the Sultanate’s strategically important enclave overlooking the Strait of Hormuz.
The industrial city – the latest addition to an expanding network of industrial parks proliferating around the country – will be established at Mahas in the Wilayat of Khasab. A sprawling site, covering an area of around 1.444 million sq metres, has been earmarked for the development of Khasab Industrial City dedicated primarily to light and medium industrial and manufacturing activities.
On Monday, Madayn invited qualified contractors to bid for its contract to construct roads, infrastructure and utilities to support the development of the proposed industrial city.
The tender came on the heels of last week’s Royal Directives by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik for the implementation of a slate of key projects aimed at fuelling the governorate’s socioeconomic development. It includes a proposal for the upgrade of Port Khasab into a maritime hub for shipping, logistics and cruise tourism. Mahas, an area well-known for quarrying activities, is proposed to be redeveloped into dedicated tourism and economic zones incorporating Khasab Industrial City. Also envisaged is a new university and strategic reserves for essential foodstuff and medicines.
As the governorate’s first industrial city, the project will add a manufacturing component to Musandam’s economic base, which is currently limited to primarily fishing, livestock farming, tourism and hospitality, local handicrafts and quarrying. But with Port Khasab targeted for development into a commercial gateway, the governorate’s strategic location can be leveraged to attract investment in, among other areas, warehousing and logistics, mining and quarrying, fisheries and food processing, and aquaculture, say experts.
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