The Port of Salalah, Oman, has taken delivery of a new mobile shiploading system, which it expects to commission later this year for use at its General Cargo Terminal (GCT).

The equipment, supplied by Northern Ireland material handling systems producer Telestack, will provide a boost to the Dhofar Governorate’s plans to increase exports of limestone, gypsum and clinker via Salalah Port.

Weighing around 560t, the shiploaders are mainly designed to load limestone, gypsum and clinker, which account for the majority of the volumes handled by the GCT. They will increase mobility, flexibility as well as achieve a lower cost per tonne as production rates are increased and cycle times and labour costs are reduced, said the company.

“The recently-received mobile ship loaders are expected to improve productivity,” said Ahmed bin Nasser al Mehrzi, chairman of the Board of Directors at Salalah Port Services Co SAOG. “As the volumes continue to grow in the GCT we will review and look at ways to modernise the operations,' he stated in the hub’s 9M18 director’s report. The GCT handled 11.4Mt of cargo in the 9M18, up from 10.27Mt in the previous-year period. Revenues were up by 24 per cent.