Port of Salalah Container Throughput Sets Second Consecutive Monthly Record
Shipping Arabia, October 11, 2026 – Port of Salalah container throughput reached a record 511,209 TEUs in September 2026, marking the second consecutive monthly high at the Omani port. The latest performance pushed combined container volumes for August and September above 1 million TEUs, extending the port’s growth following a major terminal expansion completed in 2025.
September throughput increased 4.1% from August’s previous record of 491,114 TEUs. Container-handling moves also rose 3.7%, reaching 301,113 compared with 290,418 in August.
Josh Surdin, Chief Operating Officer of the Port of Salalah Container Terminal, disclosed the September figures in a LinkedIn post. He described the result as the highest monthly container volume recorded in the port’s history.
Port of Salalah Container Throughput Exceeds 1 Million TEUs in Two Months
The combined throughput for August and September reached 1,002,323 TEUs, equivalent to approximately 23% of the port’s total container volume for 2025.
The consecutive monthly records follow significant annual growth in container traffic. In 2025, Port of Salalah handled 4.325 million TEUs, representing a 31% increase from the 3.305 million TEUs recorded in 2024.
Growth continued into 2026. During the first six months of the year, the port handled 2.331 million TEUs, compared with 2.031 million TEUs during the corresponding period of 2025. This represented a year-on-year increase of approximately 14.8%.
The September record therefore follows a period of sustained growth in container volumes, with both annual and first-half figures showing increases before the consecutive monthly highs in August and September.
Transshipment Dominates Container Traffic
Transshipment remains the largest component of Port of Salalah’s container business. During the first half of 2026, transshipment volumes reached approximately 2.034 million TEUs, accounting for around 87% of total container throughput.
These volumes reflect the port’s principal role as an international transshipment hub, where containers are transferred between vessels as part of global shipping networks.
Import and export containers accounted for a smaller share of overall traffic. Combined import and export throughput reached 190,304 TEUs during the first six months of 2026, representing just over 8% of total volume.
Meanwhile, container restows contributed a further 106,586 TEUs to first-half throughput.
The breakdown highlights the dominance of international transshipment activity compared with container traffic directly associated with cargo entering or leaving Oman.
$300 Million Terminal Expansion Supports Container Operations
The consecutive monthly records follow the completion of a $300 million expansion of the Port of Salalah Container Terminal in 2025.
The project involved upgrades to all six container berths, expansion of the container yard, and installation of new ship-to-shore cranes and supporting infrastructure.
The investment expanded the terminal’s infrastructure and was designed partly to accommodate container traffic associated with the Gemini Cooperation shipping network operated by Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd.
The Gemini Cooperation forms an important part of the port’s operating environment, with the upgraded terminal infrastructure developed in part to serve traffic moving through the network.
APM Terminals, part of A.P. Moller-Maersk, operates Port of Salalah and holds a 30% ownership stake in Salalah Port Services Company.
The operator’s parent group is also one of the two shipping companies behind the Gemini Cooperation, alongside Hapag-Lloyd.
With the terminal expansion completed in 2025, Port of Salalah has recorded growth in first-half 2026 container throughput, followed by successive monthly records in August and September.
Source: Oman Observer
