MUSCAT, 24 September 2026 — Duqm, Oman, is quickly leaving behind its image of an isolated coastal development, transforming into an important multi-sector economic hub for investments amounting to billions of dollars.
As of the end of June 2026, the volume of investments in the Special Economic Zone of Duqm (SEZAD) cumulatively climbed to OMR 8.818 billion (approximately US$22.93 billion), as compared to OMR 3.650 billion (approximately US$9.49 billion) in 2021. What is significant is that it represents a massive growth of 141% during five years, according to Oman News Agency.
The figures alone do not fully capture the extent of the transformation.
Cargo handling at the Duqm port was reported to grow by 5.66% from 2021 to 2025, dry-bulk handling increased by 3.88%, while roll-on/roll-off cargo showed an increase of 8.2%. All of these show that the zone’s development is being integrated into industry and logistics supply chains.
And then we found another important milestone in the case of Duqm Refinery’s production capacity, which has reached 255,000 barrels of oil per day. At the same time, the Dry Dock of Duqm has successfully implemented around 1,340 projects in the period between 2020 and the end of 2025, which indicates that the industrial development of the region is becoming increasingly important.
There is also an investment development in the region in fields other than traditional manufacturing. The authorities are currently implementing various projects in agriculture or tourism. The development of educational and healthcare facilities is in line with the preparation of the population to have a steady source of work. Duqm University College will begin its first academic year in 2026.
On September 23, 2026, Sultan Haitham bin Tarik visited SEZAD, highlighting the extent of Duqm’s development as he inspected investment, port, and development projects there. In conjunction with this royal visit, Oman announced that investments in the area have crossed the OMR 9 billion mark, which is approximately US$23.4 billion.
Duqm is now not simply an industrial estate; with its expanding port, new refinery, dry dock, logistics network and plans to have green energy, it is evolving into a modern economic ecosystem that will help support the implementation of Oman’s ambitious Vision 2040 plan.
For Oman, the interesting figure is not just US$22.93 billion; it shows how quickly this ambitious economic zone is becoming the new hub for trade and investment.
