CASE STUDY
Images for illustration only bulk facilities to accommodate very large ore carriers completed in 2011 , together with other bulk import and export terminals .
The Port ’ s three main industrial clusters , logistics , petrochemicals and metals , were recently joined by the region ’ s first ever terminal dedicated to the handling of agricultural bulk . This new addition will manage Oman ’ s food reserves and will offer a flourmill , sugar mill and facilities for downstream food processing and logistics .
Since its inception , SOHAR Port has witnessed a rapid increase in the number of vessel calls every year . Vessel calls today stand at somewhere close to 3,000 a year . Because of this rapid increase in the number of vessels , developments are always in progress within the Harbourmaster ’ s office , for example :
Bunkering and ship-to-ship operations are available for all vessels calling at the port through the port management system .
SOHAR Port is a deep-sea port centrally located and within easy reach of the economies of the Gulf and the Indian subcontinent . It is one of the few global ports equipped with deep-water jetties capable of handling the world`s largest ships . SOHAR Port is ideal for the import and export of a wide variety of dry , break , and liquid bulk , as well as container shipping . SOHAR Port is a 50:50 joint venture between the Government of Oman and the Port of Rotterdam . The port uses the same landlord tenant model successfully deployed in Port of Rotterdam .
SOHAR Freezone is a 4,500 hectares development that , together with SOHAR Port , has attracted over US $ 27 billion in investments . The first phase of the free zone has been developed , with almost 75 % of the 500 hectares leased . Phase 2 is now well under way .
SOHAR Port is Oman ’ s largest port and industrial complex , handling almost 60 million tons of cargo . It boasts well-developed industrial activities in petrochemicals , metals , and energy sectors . SOHAR Port is located just outside the congested Strait of Hormuz , giving easy access to the Gulf States and Iran .
The port area of approximately 20 km ² features operational businesses along with large-scale construction activities and investments exceeding $ 26 billion from 2004 – 2016 , including world-class
• Water and provisions services can be utilised for all vessels in the anchorage area and inside the port basin
• Crew change service is available
• Live weather report is available for all port users
• Full pilotage services
• Change of armed guards
In April 2021 , SOHAR Port and Freezone announced it has selected IFS Enterprise Resource Planning , Service Management and Project Management to digitise , automate , and centralise the Finance , Supply Chain and HCM Departments into one platform .
As a major contributor to trade in Oman , it is important that SOHAR Port and Freezone makes adequate investments to ensure that they are future ready to adapt and meet the emerging business requirements of the ports industry .
Legacy pain points
Prior to implementing IFS ERP , SOHAR Port relied on two legacy systems : one for finance and procurement , and another one for human resources . This setup presented several challenges for both the business and IT teams .
From a business perspective , the siloed nature of the data hindered collaboration and reporting efforts , while manual processes and inconsistent user experiences led to inefficiencies and reduced productivity .
Cross-departmental processes were hindered by the need to switch between different systems , leading to inefficiencies and potential delays in completing tasks
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