Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology signed a three-year framework with Abu Sultan Enterprises LLC on 3 December 2025 to prepare a financial and commercial model and future development vision for Dhalkut Port. Oman News Agency said handover to the developer was expected within six months for maintenance and simple operating activities, while the company develops a long-term commercial plan. MTCIT has not published a completed handover, current operating statement, capital budget or physical marine package. A separate 2022 fishery-harbour tender for dredging and groynes was cancelled, recalled and recorded at financial opening in the Q3 2023 eTender data, but no winner, value or execution evidence is disclosed.
Project signal
Planning in Oman
Current statusA three-year development, management and operation framework was signed with Abu Sultan Enterprises in December 2025; the planned handover for maintenance and simple operations, physical marine works, capital programme and current operating state are not publicly confirmedSource confidenceConfirmed
Location
Oman / Middle East
Segment
Small-port commercial activation, maintenance, dredging and berth readiness
Status
A three-year development, management and operation framework was signed with Abu Sultan Enterprises in December 2025; the planned handover for maintenance and simple operations, physical marine works, capital programme and current operating state are not publicly confirmed / Confirmed
Last checked
5 August 2026
Coverage
Related sectors
Small-port commercial activation, maintenance, dredging and berth readiness is the primary work classification. Related sectors connect this record to adjacent marine delivery and market coverage.
Subject index
Related subjects
These subject pages bring together related projects, technical articles, reports, and evidence methods.
Project anatomy
Contract scope and delivery roles
Client / authority
Oman Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology
Delivery parties
Abu Sultan Enterprises LLC - three-year framework developer and intended manager/operator; current handover and mobilisation are not publicly confirmed, Dredging, groyne, breakwater, quay, marine-maintenance, hydrographic and navigation contractors - not publicly identified, Electrical, lighting and guard-room furnishing suppliers - tender signals located, but awards and delivery are not publicly confirmed
Contract route
Tender 10/2022/MAFWR/DGFH-1 covered general maintenance at Dhalkut Fishery Harbour and was recorded in financial evaluation. Tender 251/2022/MAFWR/HQ-30 sought dredging and groyne construction; Oman eTender records the base tender as cancelled and a recalled version, 251/2022/MAFWR/HQ-30 - Recall - 1, at financial opening in the Q3 2023 package. By 2023 MTCIT said it had received the port and offered its management, operation, development and commercial activation through public investment auctions. On 3 December 2025 MTCIT signed a three-year framework with Abu Sultan Enterprises. The framework authorises commercial and financial planning and anticipates a handover for maintenance and simple operations; it does not disclose a capital-works award or long-term concession.
Execution window
The original marine tender was published on 18 May 2022 and its recall on 12 October 2022. MTCIT reported receiving and offering the port to investors in 2023. The Abu Sultan framework was signed on 3 December 2025 for three years and contemplated handover within six months, around June 2026. The ministry had not published a handover announcement or certificate by the 4 August 2026 cutoff. A July 2026 guard-room furnishing tender listing is a later enabling-work signal, not proof of operational transfer.
Works package
The framework covers a financial and commercial model, a future vision, maintenance and simple operating activities, and preparation of a long-term commercial plan. Public sources disclose no berth length, channel depth, dredging quantity, groyne geometry, quay rehabilitation, breakwater repair, navigation-aid scope, operating equipment, capital budget or work-package allocation. The separate 2022 tender title establishes dredging and groynes as a historical marine need without proving award or completion.
Marine interfaces
Dhalkut's operating case depends on usable approach and basin depths, sediment control, berth and quay condition, navigation safety, maintenance access and a functioning fisheries-commercial interface. The 2022 dredging and groyne procurement indicates a sediment and protection requirement, but no bathymetry, design depth, measured quantity, plant, survey acceptance or first-vessel operating evidence is public. Port handover and commercial planning therefore remain separate from marine readiness.
Commercial evidence boundary
Neither the framework value nor the investment requirement is disclosed. ONA said the investment size would be determined through feasibility and the commercial model. The three-year term is a planning and initial-operation window, not evidence of a final concession duration, committed capital expenditure, forecast throughput, tariff structure or contracted marine scope.
Project timeline
Material developments
Dated events that changed scope, counterparties, delivery, commissioning or operating status.
Guard-room furnishing tender appears after the planned handover window
A secondary tender listing for Dhalkut Port guard-room furniture indicates an enabling-work requirement in July 2026. It does not confirm an award, completed handover, port operation or physical marine readiness.
The agreement creates a controlled developer-operator relationship and a route to a commercial model. Its planned six-month handover and simple-operation remit remain future statements until separate completion evidence is located.
Electrical cable and lighting-pole tender signals enabling works
Tender reference 199/2025/MTCIT/DGPRC-142 was listed for electrical cables and lighting poles at Dalkut Port. The listing names no award and provides no installation evidence.
Recalled dredging and groyne tender reaches financial opening in the Q3 file
The official package records general-maintenance tender 10/2022/MAFWR/DGFH-1 in financial evaluation, the original dredging and groyne tender as cancelled and its recall at financial opening. It publishes no supplier, value, contract execution or completion evidence.
MTCIT reports receiving and offering Dhalkut Port to investors
The ministry placed management, operation, development and commercial activation into an investor-offering route, preceding the later Abu Sultan framework.