The inaugural TransOman Conference in Muscat will highlight rail projects on the Batinah Railway and the proposed Pan – GCC Railway, organisers said.

The conference, which will be held on October 14 and 15 at the Golden Tulip Muscat, is part of TransOman Expo, set to run from October 13 to 15 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre.

“Rail is the next area of opportunity in terms of logistics as a feasibility study for the construction of the GCC railway is underway,” said Nick Hodge, managing director at Oman International Trade and Exhibitions (OITE), organisers of the event.

“This long-distance network is indeed a fitting step forward and will further boost the growth of the logistics industry. Thus, the TransOman Conference will provide an overview of the railway development in Muscat and across the GCC region.”

The GCC region has become increasingly attractive to international third party logistics operators who are setting up bases and trade routes. The logistics industry is estimated to be more than $40bn and with an average growth rate of 19 per cent.

Providing greater capacity for freight movement, the railway line will allow fast transfer of goods between countries and eliminate congestion on roadways.

The GCC railway system linking the GCC states of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE will enable the logistics industry to achieve robust growth once the ongoing and future rail projects in the GCC are completed, a statement said.

In 2008, Oman revealed future plans for its first-ever rail infrastructure and appointed consultants to carry out a feasibility study to build a 200 km railway network running initially from Sohar to Barka before being extended to Duqm.

The TransOman Conference will highlight various opportunities in the logistics arena including rail development, airport development projects for Muscat, Salalah, Ad Duqm, Ras Al Hadd, Sohar and Adam airports; ports and free zones development project, and land transport, amongst others. – TradeArabia News Service