Logistics Gateways and Their Potential for Meeting the National Logistics Strategy: Evidence from the Sultanate of Oman

Abstract

Logistics gateways are backbone for a nation’s trade and shape its economic prospects, yet whether the gateways a country already operates can deliver the targets of long-term logistics strategy remains unanswered. We examine that question for Oman, whose Sultanate of Oman Logistics Strategy 2040 (SOLS2040) aims to build a global logistics hub as part of the diversification from oil. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior figures from the maritime, aviation and land segments of the sector and from government. The transcripts were analysed in a documented and reproducible R pipeline that pairs dictionary-based coding with a structural topic model, and the analysis returned six themes. Stakeholders see firm government commitment and steady traffic growth at Sohar and Salalah.
But, the dry ports at Al Mazunah and Khazaen is below capacity. Hinterland links and cold-chain facilities are thin. Regulation adds friction, and Jebel Ali and Hamad compete for the same cargo from a far larger base. Measured against the SOLS2040 target of forty million TEU by 2040, current capacity and utilisation fall short of projected demand. We argue that connectivity is the binding constraint, with technology and lighter regulation reinforcing it, and we close with policy steps that would bring the gateways in line with the diversification agenda.