DUQM : The third session of the Duqm Summer Series took place today at the SEZAD Head Office where participants examined how global supply chains are being recalibrated by tariffs, geopolitics and evolving trade patterns. The discussion was led by Saad Bait Nasib, Commercial Director at ASYAD Ports & Free Zones who outlined both the risks and the opportunities created by these dynamics.

Bait Nasib began with the wider economic backdrop. Tariffs have re-emerged as a central feature of Washington’s economic strategy, with recent measures described as the steepest in a century. Such policies carry consequences well beyond the U.S., influencing costs across global supply networks and testing the resilience of smaller enterprises. MSMEs, lacking the buffers to absorb higher costs or re-route flows, often face the toughest challenges. In a world where disruption in one hub can quickly cascade across others, resilience has become as important as efficiency.

The discussion then turned to opportunity. As companies pursue near-shoring and new trade alignments, Oman’s geographic position stood out as a clear advantage. Duqm’s location on the Indian Ocean offers direct access to growth markets in Africa and Asia, while Free Trade Agreements provide a framework for reduced costs and predictable market entry. For firms seeking both neutrality and reach, Bait Nasib described Duqm as “a practical and dependable base.”

He concluded by positioning Duqm as a manufacturing hub, emphasizing its integrated ecosystem of port, airport, logistics and ready-to-build industrial zones. The Special Economic Zone at Duqm, he argued, offers companies the rare combination of proximity to supplier markets and access to high-growth consumer bases.

“Global trade isn’t shrinking, it’s rewiring,” said Saad Bait Nasib. “The search now is for supply routes that are open, reliable and cost-true. Duqm is positioned to provide exactly that.”

Eng. Ahmed Akaak, CEO, SEZAD, stressed Duqm’s role in providing predictability in uncertain times. “Duqm was planned for moments like this,” he said. “When the world demands resilience and clarity, we offer both. Our task is to give investors predictable rules, competitive infrastructure and fast execution — tools that allow them to control costs, manage risk and capture new markets.”

The Duqm Summer Series is running throughout August in four instalments. The third session built on earlier discussions and formed part of a program designed to provide focused discussions for decision-makers in manufacturing, renewables, logistics and fisheries. Today’s event reinforced Duqm’s position as both a resilient supply-chain hub and a launchpad for companies targeting growth markets in Africa and Asia.

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