Muscat, 5 Sep (ONA) — The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) today signed a land usufruct agreement with the International Marine Products Company.

The company intends to set up a complex for the canning of tuna, sardines and other marine products over an area of 58,000 square meters.

The agreement was signed by Eng. Yahya Khamis Al Zedjali, in-charge of managing operations of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) and Eng. Nabil Salim Al Ruwaidhi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of International Marine Products.

The complex has been allocated within fish and food industries zone, and near the multipurpose fishing port. The production capacity of complex will be 27 thousand tons per year, subject to future expansion. The complex’s cost is estimated at RO 30 million.

Ali Nasser Al Rasbi, General Manage of the International Marine Products Company said that the company will launch an operational training program, within its strategic plan, to train skilled and specialized Omani workers in all areas of the company’s operations. The company will also provide the necessary infrastructure to motivate small Omani companies to engage in the manufacture and processing of fish and marine value-added products.

The International Marine Products Company is one of the companies affiliated to the Fisheries Development Oman (FDO). The company will be the manufacturing arm of the group, which is currently spearheading projects in the fields of commercial fishing in high seas, as well as aquaculture and shrimp farming projects.

— Ends/KH