Project record

Dhalkut Port management, operation and development framework

Abu Sultan Enterprises representatives signing the Dhalkut Port framework agreement with MTCIT in Oman

Al Shabiba / Oman News Agency; exact Dhalkut Port framework-agreement coverage, not physical-works evidence

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 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 Source confidence Confirmed

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

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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.

Open this project in the Change Log

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.

Source

MTCIT and Abu Sultan sign a three-year framework

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.

Source

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.

Source

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.

Source

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.

Source

Evidence gap

What remains unverified

Outstanding evidence

  • Formal handover certificate and effective operator mobilisation date
  • Current port opening, vessel calls, fisheries activity and commercial throughput
  • Outcome of tender 251/2022/MAFWR/HQ-30 and its recall
  • Hydrographic survey, accepted approach and basin depths and dredging requirement
  • Groyne, breakwater, quay, berth, ramp and navigation-aid condition
  • Marine maintenance contractor, equipment, budget and performance obligations
  • Feasibility study, approved capital programme and package procurement route
  • Long-term concession terms, regulator approvals, tariffs and operating responsibility
  • Electrical, lighting, guard-room and other enabling-work awards and completion
  • Named subcontractors, suppliers, surveyors and acceptance authority

Reporting status

Planning, confirmed confidence

Last checked 5 August 2026 across 9 cited sources. The dated timeline above carries the project events.

Last checked 5 August 2026 Cited sources 9

Sources and related records

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