The Sultanate of Oman’s rich maritime history and the influence of the long seafaring tradition on its culture and relations with other countries will be on display at the Oman Maritime Exhibition and Conference 2022, which opens today at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center (OCEC).
Titled ‘Oman Maritime Confex 2022’, the three-day expo to be held under the auspices of Dr Saud bin Hamoud al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MoAFWR), will act as a true reflection of the bonds that Oman shared with its neighbours that solidified the strong foreign relations Oman is enjoying today.
“The Oman Maritime Conference 2022 and Exhibition aims to embody the cultural and maritime heritage of the Sultanate of Oman, and to communicate and exchange between representatives of the sectors of maritime logistics, supply chains, port management, fish farming and maritime marketing,” organisers from the ministry told the Observer.
The conference, organised by the Omani Business Development Center under the patronage of MoAFWR, will also focus on the importance of the sea, being a sustainable natural resource, which can be benefited from and optimised for the advancement of the various economic sectors.
It will also highlight the comparative advantage of the strategic location of the Sultanate of Oman by enhancing the participation of the private sector and small and medium-sized enterprises.Oman boasts of nearly 3,000 kilometres of coastline. The Sultanate of Oman is one of the countries that follows maritime activities that are historically bequeathed to the modern generation and the major ports in Muscat, Suhar and Salalah play an important role in underlining Oman’s time-tested maritime heritage.
trade relations
The old trade relations that Qalhat in Al Sharqiyah used to enjoy with Kutch in India some more than 4,500 years ago have evolved to be an indispensable bond of relationship today. Many places in Oman, such as Suhar, Samad al Saiyal, Masirah, Khasab, Muttrah, Muscat, and Samharam in Dhofar are all preserving the identities of its rich maritime heritage.
Andrei Shgakov, a Russian scientist has aptly mentioned Oman in his travelogues that the ‘Omanis were the first nation to cross the waters of the Indian Ocean, and they did so long before the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Persians, Indians, Greeks and Romans, and he makes it a point to mention that the Omani ships had priority in discovering many countries and islands of the Indian Ocean.
Bringing forth the eventful past to the fore, as many as 15 countries will represent with 100 exhibitors which will be viewed by almost 10,000 visitors over the four days of the exhibition.
There will also be art shows, competitions and a seafood court, besides specialised parallel workshops dedicated to several topics related to maritime during the course of three days.
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