Salalah (Oman). Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing global pandemic, the Port of Salalah not only finished 2020 with record breaking container volume, but also achieved world class efficiency. This has been recognized by the World Bank in its report on Container Port Performance Index (CPPI 2020) which has been produced by the Transport Global Practice of the World Bank, in collaboration with IHS Markit where Port of Salalah ranked 6thamongst 351 ports globally! The CPPI measures the operational efficiency with which ports receive and turn around container ships.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the critical role that ports, and their associated logistical chains, play in the global economy. It has also highlighted the need to ensure business continuity and improve the resilience of maritime gateways, as ports play a crucial role in the global logistics system, keeping supply chains moving, economies functioning, and people employed. Ports maintain the flows of vital medical and food supplies, critical agricultural products, energy streams, and other goods and services essential to facilitate the economic life of a country" adds the world bank report.This has been further acknowledged and validated by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) which also rated Oman's ports as No. 1 in the world in terms of speed of container handling, as per the UNCTAD annual index 2020. According to UNCTAD's Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (PLSCI), the Port of Salalah provides the highest liner shipping connectivity in Oman (PLSCI value 55 in Q3 2020) and has continued to do so since the PLSCI statistics was first published back in Q1 2006.

The Port of Salalah, in its statement, confirmed that the port stay of a ship, or the speed with which it is turned around, is determined byvarious factors of which, needless to say, port productivity plays a vital role. The prompt services of the various authorities including our own Marine Services, ROP Customs and the Ministry of Health Authorities also play a critical role in all of this and for that we express our deep appreciation.

"We are proud, through our efficient port operations, to have contributed to raising the profile of Omani ports in the global stage. This would not have been possible without the strong commitment and dedication displayed by the staff at every level across the organization and a strong commitment of our customers, stakeholders and business partners which has helped us retain one of the top spots globally. I would like to further thanks Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technology, APM Terminals and ASYAD for their continued support leading to this achievement" commented Mark Hardiman, CEO of Port of Salalah.

Scott Selman, the COO of container terminal of Port of Salalah added:

I'm happy to see the strong efforts of the Port of Salalah team being recognized. The team has done a fantastic job deploying lean tools through our Way of Working to drive safety and efficiency for our customers. We will continue to collaborate closely with our customers to deliver world class service."

About Port of Salalah

The Port continues to actively contribute to Oman's 2040 vision and objectives and support Oman's economic diversification strategy.

Strategically located on the trade crossroads between Asia and Europe, and serving the markets of East Africa, the Red Sea, the Indian Subcontinent and the Arabian Gulf - the Port of Salalah is operated by APM Terminals as part of the APM Terminals global terminal network. The port operates both a container terminal and a general cargo terminal.