Overcoming Strategies for Omani Seaport Challenges

Resumen

Academicians and researchers have focused on analyzing challenges and countering strategies as seaports are dynamic and crucial to global logistics. The Sultanate of Oman's particular seaport performance, however, has not been extensively studied. This paper aims to identify the challenges Omani seaports face and overcoming strategies to these challenges. An interpretative research philosophy and a qualitative methodology were applied. 19 seaport managers, executives from logistics firms, government officials, and managers from the Oman Logistics Association and Oman Logistics Centre participated in the in-depth interview. The semi-structured in-depth interview was further improved after a pilot study.  NVivo14's thematic analysis was used to examine the participant responses. The results show that numerous important issues affect the Omani seaport, including those pertaining to connectivity, energy and the environment, capacity and operations, economics and competition, governance and regulations, and technology and integration. Counterstrategies for the issues Omani seaports face include training and development, infrastructure development, market and growth strategies, collaboration and partnership strengthening, safety and sustainability strategies, and the adoption of advanced technologies. The results also indicated that government involvement and policy support, performance measurement and technology and data utilization integration, cooperation and partnership, prioritized and targeted resource allocation, and human capital development are important elements of the framework that should be included in order to enhance seaports' contribution to SOLS2040. Collaboration and integration between ports and logistics actors, including the government, will help to implement the national logistics strategy (SOLS2040). The paper suggests that Omani seaports should expand their human capital, improve workforce competency, upgrade their infrastructure, use advanced technology and port automation, and capitalize on their strategic location.