Oman records 62% cargo growth in eight months

Oman’s ports handled around 146 million tonnes of goods in the first eight months of 2026, up 62.3% from 90.5 million tonnes in the same period last year. Container handling rose 20.5% to more than four million standard containers, while vehicle handling increased 182.6% to 188,368, according to the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.

The growth points to rising freight movement through Oman, supporting trade links with regional and international markets. Higher cargo volumes also create demand for road transport, warehousing, freight forwarding and other logistics services, helping businesses move goods through supply chains.

The number of ships received by Omani ports and marine piers outside ports increased 27.9% to more than 11,000 by the end of August, compared with 8,793 in the same period last year.

Laila bint Ali Al-Batashi, director of the Department of Ports and Marine Piers at the ministry, said the figures reflected increased operational activity during the year.

The rise in goods, containers and vehicle handling highlights the growing volume of freight moving through Oman’s maritime network. For shipping lines and logistics providers, the increase creates opportunities to support trade and improve connections between suppliers and markets.