Tag: Oman

Salalah Free Zone has broken export records in 2026, with its strategic location between Asia, Africa and Europe positioning Oman's southern port city as a critical logistics hub, attracting investment from global manufacturers and logistics companies seeking a GCC base with direct Indian Ocean access.

GCC nations are fast-tracking pipelines, port expansions, and rail connections to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, the UAE's Habshan-Fujairah bypass, Oman's Indian Ocean ports, and Etihad Rail are all being accelerated as the 2026 Hormuz disruption makes alternative routing a commercial and strategic emergency.

Oman's Salalah khareef — the annual June-to-September monsoon that turns the Dhofar coast green with 25°C temperatures — is entering 2026 with new Etihad Abu Dhabi connectivity and accelerating hotel investment as Oman positions Salalah as a world-class Gulf summer alternative.

Etihad Airways launched its inaugural Abu Dhabi-Salalah service on May 21, 2026, expanding to five weekly flights from June 15, as UAE carriers adapt route networks following 227 delays and 15 cancellations in a single June 5 disruption event — the worst in recent UAE aviation history.

Oman signed 10 agreements worth $7.5 billion for the Duqm Special Economic Zone — led by ACME Group's $3.5 billion green ammonia project and HyPort Duqm's Phase 1 targeting production start in 2026 — advancing Oman's goal of 1.38 million tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030.