Sunday was a big day for Hutchison Ports Sohar as the port received CMA CGM’s APL RAFFLES, its largest ship ever. The 398 m long, 17,000 TEU container vessel was welcomed by the Hutchison Ports Sohar and Sohar Port & Freezones management with a cordial ceremony.

Anacin Kum, CEO of Hutchison Ports Sohar, expressed his joy over the arrival of this magnificent vessel and said that at the time when the world was facing a crisis due to covid-19, a call of 17000 TEU container vessel was a milestone for them. Mr. Kum added that they stand by their commitment to creating a sustainable future. For the same, they are expanding their facilities to handle the largest container vessels afloat.

The year 2021 was the year of growth for the terminal as it recorded an increase of 200% in domestic movements compared to 2020, even though the export volume reported a growth of only 9% for the same period. The terminal has added two new direct services: Milaha’s NDX that connects Sohar to India and Aladin Express’ new service connecting Sohar to the Far East and India.

In 2022 the company is launching autonomous truck technology at the terminal. Mr. Anacin Kum said that using their unrivaled skills and experience, they plan to turn around even the most giant container ships as quickly and efficiently as possible to provide world-class service to their customers.