Marafiq, a joint venture owned by OQ (a subsidiary of Oman Investment Authority), has implemented a number of projects in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) as part of agreements signed over the past years with the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, the Public Services Regulatory Authority, and Nama Group, with the aim of providing all types of industrial services to projects in the region, as part of joint efforts to enhance the investment environment in Duqm.

Eng Abdullah al Hashimi, Managing Director of Marafiq, confirmed that the company has invested more than $600 million in Duqm so far, explaining that the company has completed the integrated electricity and water station that provides electrical energy to Duqm Refinery and the Oman Tank Terminal Co (OTTCO), which operates an oil storage station in Ras Markaz.

The company also implemented an 80-megawatt electricity production station SEZAD, stressing that this project is part of the company’s commitment to sustainable projects.

He told the Oman News Agency (ONA) that the station, which serves SEZAD, contributed to significantly reducing carbon emissions and providing more reliable electricity services than before.

He added that Marafiq also manages the drinking water sector in SEZAD one by operating a drinking water desalination plant. The company has also expanded the water network to serve residential, commercial and tourist neighbourhoods and other investment areas, noting that the length of the pipelines that transport water in the region is about 50 km, while the length of the water distribution network pipes is more than 131 km.

Marafiq is currently constructing a line linking the main tanks to the fishing port and the fish industries area, after it had recently completed a number of projects to expand the water network in the region.

The company also recently completed a project to connect the Vulcan Green Iron Company to the water network, which is the first of its kind to connect an under-construction project to the water network in the Duqm Special Economic Zone.

Al Hashimi confirmed that the company contributed approximately $56 million in local value added through the integrated electricity and water plant, and also contributed another $10 million in value added projects for the drinking water sector.