International Seafood Company, a subsidiary of Fisheries Development Oman (FDO), has inked a construction contract in order to establish a complex for canning tuna, sardines, and other seafood products at a cost of $36 million (RO 14 million).
The canning plant will be built within the Fisheries Industries Zone (FIZ) in Duqm as part of a land usufruct signed with the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ).
Designed to the highest international and food safety specifications, the plant will have a production capacity of 30,000 tons annually, subject to future expansion. The commercial production is scheduled for 2024, according to the statement.
International Seafood Company represents the manufacturing arm of Fisheries Development Oman Group and it is responsible for developing the fisheries sector in the Sultanate of Oman.
The company said that, “This project, which is one of the outputs of the Tanfeedh Program, is in line with Oman’s Vision 2040, as it will achieve the country’s vision of economic diversification by maximizing the return from the fisheries landing that the Sultanate of Oman abounds and localizing the value-added chain of fish products before exporting to global markets.”
The project will positively support Oman’s GDP through local supply chains and increase investment opportunities in the sector as well as create specialized and business support job opportunities.
“The company will also, through its strategic plan launch an employment-related training program to train skilled and specialized Omani workforce in all areas of the company’s operations,” as per the statement.
