MUSCAT : Oman’s state-owned logistics conglomerate Asyad Group and French shipping giant CMA CGM have signed an agreement to jointly develop a US$400 million multipurpose logistics terminal in Sohar, deepening economic ties between Oman and France and strengthening the Sultanate’s ambitions to become a major regional trade and logistics hub.

The framework agreement was signed in Paris on Tuesday during the official visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to France, underscoring growing cooperation between the two countries across trade, logistics and investment sectors.

Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate on the development, management and operation of a new logistics terminal in Sohar, one of Oman’s largest industrial and maritime centres. The project is expected to enhance cargo handling capacity, expand integrated logistics services and strengthen links between Gulf markets and international shipping routes.

The investment comes as Oman seeks to leverage its strategic location outside the Strait of Hormuz to attract global supply chain operators and position itself as a gateway connecting Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

“This partnership reflects Asyad Group’s vision of building strategic collaborations with major global companies to enhance the commercial attractiveness of Omani ports and maximize the economic value of their assets,” said Eng. Abdulrahman Al Hatmi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Asyad Group. “This cooperation will open new horizons for attracting trade flows and quality investments to ports, and free and economic zones, while strengthening Oman’s position in global supply chains.”

The planned facility will support the development of new regional and international trade corridors and provide advanced logistics and supply-chain solutions for customers operating across the Gulf and beyond.

For CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container shipping company, the project expands its footprint in the Gulf at a time when global shipping lines are increasingly investing in ports, terminals and inland logistics infrastructure to secure supply-chain resilience.

“This partnership with Asyad Group marks an important step in the development of our logistics and port activities in the Gulf,” said Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CMA CGM Group. “By developing a new logistics terminal at Sohar, we will strengthen regional connectivity while securing reliable inland access to key trade corridors. It will ensure greater resilience and efficiency for our customers’ supply chains.”

Saadé added that the investment reflected CMA CGM’s confidence in Oman’s long-term economic vision and its role as a strategic gateway linking Gulf markets with the rest of the world.

Asyad operates one of the region’s largest integrated logistics networks, spanning more than 76 cities across 24 countries. The group manages a fleet of more than 100 vessels serving over 90 destinations and connecting more than 200 commercial ports worldwide. It also oversees several ports, free zones and economic zones within Oman.

Marseille-headquartered CMA CGM operates in 177 countries and employs around 160,000 people globally. The group manages a fleet of more than 700 vessels serving over 420 ports across five continents and transported more than 24 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025. Through its logistics arm CEVA Logistics, the company operates about 1,000 warehouses worldwide and handled 15 million shipments last year.

The Sohar project is among several agreements signed during Sultan Haitham’s visit to France, highlighting a broader push by Oman to attract foreign investment, expand non-oil sectors and reinforce its position as a global logistics and trade gateway.

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