Interview with
Mr. Suresh Kumar
General Manager
Can you tell our readers about the history and ownership of Al Fayha Shipping?
Al Fayha Shipping was established in 1973. The company is part of the Al Fayha Group. Our group consists of 28 companies founded by the late Sh. Hamad Al Taie, a prominent business visionary. We are one of the oldest shipping agencies in Oman. The company is now under the ownership of Sh. Khalid Al Taie and Sh. Najeeb Al Taie.The company represented various container liner agencies, including CMA CGM in the past. Currently, our focus is more on project cargo, air and sea transport, and customs clearance. We have a team of highly experienced professionals in the field of shipping and logistics sector.
Oman is a large country on the Arabian Peninsula. Can you elaborate on the ports which are normally used for commercial traffic including project cargoes?
Oman is a large country situated on the southern coast of Arabian Peninsula. It shares a land border with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Oman has 3 major commercial ports which can handle commercial traffic, including project cargo movements, with every port adding value to the business environment of the country:
• The Port of Salalah, situated in the southern region right on the major east-west shipping lanes, is a world-class transshipment hub in the West Central Asian region. The terminal is managed by APM.
• The Port of Sohar in the north of Oman is a multipurpose terminal. It comprises an industrial and logistics complex and also a free zone. The container terminal “Oman International Container Terminal” is managed by Hutchison Port and The break bulk terminal is managed by C.Steinweg.
• The New Port, the “Port of Duqm” situated between Salalah and Muscat, is by far the largest economic initiative in Oman’s modern history, and is part of the SEZ of Duqm (special economic zone). The SEZ expects to attract major export-oriented Industries to accelerate the industrial growth in Oman.
The other ports in Oman are…
Port Sultan Qaboos or PSQ. The oldest commercial hub for containers and bulk cargos until 2014. Currently this port serves as a cruise terminal for tourist vessels.
Port of Shinas in the north of Oman is a small port to handle livestock.
Port of Khasab in the northern governorate of Musandam handles cruise vessels, ferry service, and country craft.
What can you tell us about the country of Oman? For example: what is the number of inhabitants; what is the name of the capital; and who are the main trading partners in the world for Oman?
Oman is one of the most beautiful countries in the Arabian Peninsula with a diverse geography. Natural beauty can be found everywhere. The people of Oman are known for their hospitality and friendly approach. It has the longest coastline among the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries.
It shares borders with the UAE in the north and Saudi Arabia in the west and Yemen in the south.
Oman’s economy remains strong. The revenue from the non-oil sector is expected to grow in the year 2024.
Oman’s population is close to 5.15 million of which 36% are expatriates.
The capital is Muscat, the most populated city in Oman, and the other main cities are Nizwa, Sohar, Ibri and Salalah.
Oman’s main trading partners are the UAE, China, India, Qatar, Europe, the USA and Saudi Arabia.
Al Fayha Shipping has been active for some years now. Do you also have experience in handling OOG or oversized cargoes? Could you provide us with some examples of cargoes handled?
Our company has been actively involved in handling OOG and oversized cargoes for two decades. We represent SARJAK Container Lines which is one of the prominent NVO carriers specialized in handling projects and oversized cargoes. We handled many OOG shipments for Oman.
Do you also see in Oman that some shipowners are acting as freight forwarders, too? What advantages would you say that a company like Al Fayha Shipping has in the market?
Yes, we see that. It is on the rise. Many shipowners and their agents are actively promoting freight forwarding activities to keep the customs clearance and other forwarding activities under one roof. This is creating tough competition for freight forwarders as the freight forwarder largely depends on the shipowners or their agents for competitive rates.
However, we still believe that the shipping line has limitations with regard to meeting the increasing demands from customers when it comes to customer service. The customers like to be pampered with regular and timely information and updates on their shipments which we believe a freight forwarder who is customer -riented can deliver more promptly.
Al Fayha Shipping is a well-known name in Oman, and many clients prefer to work with us due to our proven track record. We have the advantage of being client-friendly, and our service-oriented team always delivers the best solution to our clients as per their requirements.
Oman is bordering countries such as Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Can you also arrange transhipment via Omani ports to these destinations? Of course, the countries in question have their own direct ports but for reasons of conflict (for example in the case of Yemen), perhaps readers would like to know if this choice exists?
We can arrange transhipment to Saudi Arabia and the UAE via Omani Ports. There are cargo movements by land between Oman-UAE and Saudi Arabia due to the shortest transit time. Foodstuffs and medical products are given priority.
In the case of Yemen, customers are brining cargo to Yemen via the Salalah Port and clearance is done at the Salalah Yemen boarder. The customer in Yemen registers their name in Oman customs and appoints a clearing agent to complete the customs clearance and then transport the container to the border. The cargo is unpacked at the Oman customs depot at the Yemeni border before it is delivered to the Yemeni customer.
It is still a very complex operation as the forwarding agent/clearing agent based in Oman/Salalah is unaware of the cargo loaded in the container other than what is declared in BL. If the cargo is different, the agent is held responsible. There is a risk when you deal with unknown customers.
I am told that Oman is a very beautiful country. Could you elaborate to our readers about places to visit in Oman?
Oman’s natural beauty can be found everywhere if you travel across Oman.
Below are some of the highlights worth visiting:
The Al Hajar mountain ranges which give picturesque locations for camping and sight-seeing. Also diverse with vast desert which is one of the beautiful vistas for sunset and other desert adventures. The ideal time to visit Oman is from November to March every year when the climate is at the most desirable levels for wandering around. Oman has got many historical and heritage places as well for those who want to explore the history and culture.
Some of the most popular places to visit in Oman are the capital city, Muscat with the Grand Mosque which is one of the largest in Oman and stunning for its architecture; the Al Alam Palace, the Mutrah Corniche and traditional souq. Also not to miss is the Grand Royal Opera House.
Nizwa and Bahla which are famous for the Forts and also the Rustaq Fort which lays down how rich is the heritage and culture of Oman.
For people who want to visit the natural beauty, there are Wadi Bani Khalid, Wadi Shab, Wadi Tanuf, Nakhal (famous for its hot water spring) and Sulphur Wadis. These natural wadis are in the interior of Oman. So some need trekking and some are accessible with vehicles. But the breathtaking and serene views they give for their visitors are truly amazing.
Jebel Shams is one of the highest peak in Oman with temperature reaching minus during the winter season and summers are not more than 25 deg Celsius.. The Grand Canyon of Oman is located at Jebel Shams.
Jebel Akhdar, 3000 feet above sea level, is the highest area in Oman. This is another mountain region which has a lot of terrace farming and has cultivation of roses, pomegranates, etc.
Wahiba Sands is the vast desert region where you can enjoy the dune bashing, camel rides and other adventures including camping with stunning views of the night sky.
In the south of Oman, Salalah is famous for its Khareef (monsoon) season from June to early September when Salalah receives the most rain. At this time, the mountains will be green and many springs and waterfalls will be active.
Sur Beach and the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve are some of the other places not to be missed if visiting Oman.
How is it best for our readers to get in touch with you?
You can get in touch with me through email or phone. My contact details are as follows:Suresh Kumar
Email: sureshkumar@alfayhashipping.com
Direct Tel: 0096824814144
Mobile: 0096899335760
Office: 0096824814149 / 24812804 / 24812615
