Transportation and logistics

Part of the objectives for Oman's Vision 2040 is to nurture maritime hubs to leverage its strategic location at the crossroads of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Underpinning the transport and logistics infrastructure Oman has committed are the ports of Duqm, Salalah, and Sohar and their respective surrounding Special Economic Zones (SEZ).

Our transport, logistics and shipping practice is optimally skilled to advise on various types of projects. Our lawyers have deep experience with government regulations, concessions as well as various infrastructure projects. We have wide-ranging experience and knowledge in the field of shipping and logistics and have assisted clients and rendered legal services related to various aspects of logistics and shipping work. Most recently we have advised the government arm that consolidates all the public investments in ports, free zones, rail, maritime road transport companies, on a bespoke and novel framework agreement with the Ministry of Transport, aiming to implement various logistic projects identified in the Oman Logistics Strategy 2040 (“Tanfeedh”).

We regularly act for foreign principals and Omani agents in relation to distribution arrangements in Oman, including those operating in transportation/logistics sector. These transactions frequently involve advising on supply chain agreements and real estate matters.

We provide a full range of legal services concerning, amongst other things, arrest of vessels, demurrage claims, cargo claims, owner’s liability, charter party disputes, marine insurance, regulation of ports, and environmental and other issues under international treaties. We also frequently act in matters involving the carriage of goods by road, and the liability of road and air carriers.

SASLO’s clientele in the maritime field includes owners, charterers, cargo owners and P&I Clubs.

Assistance in shipping matters frequently overlaps with company, commercial, insolvency, land law, and other general matters and, as a full-service law firm, SASLO is ideally placed to assist its clients in relation to the following:

• maritime casualties
• arrest of vessels
• calculation of general average
• marine insurance obligations and liability claims
• charter-party disputes
• acting for ship owners and charterers in cargo damage claims
• port regulation
• demurrage claims
• international trade documents
• ship finance
• container terminal operations
• road carriers
• air carriers.