MUSCAT: The Sanvira carbon plant is a joint venture between Oman National Investments Development Company (Tanmia), Sanvira Industries Limited and United Business Trading.

It is the first of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman that works to convert petroleum coal into a product of high industrial value, used in the aluminum industries and a number of other mining industries.

The inauguration was held under the patronage of H.E. Eng Salem bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, who, in a statement, highlighted the importance of this project because of its value addition to Sohar Port and the Free Zone and the investment opportunities in promising industrial fields in the Sultanate of Oman, including green energy projects.

Speaking on the occasion, Khalid bin Awad Al Balushi, CEO of Tanmia, said the project had achieved all the appropriate criteria for creating successful partnerships and the flow of foreign direct investment into the Sultanate of Oman.

Saeed bin Salem Al-Hajri, partner in the Sanvira Carbon Factory, confirmed that the factory increases the economic value of petroleum coal by targeting the local and Gulf markets.

“With this steady growth, the zone constitutes a center for many sectors, including the manufacture of consumer goods, food, industrial supplies and others,” said Omar bin Mahmoud Al-Mahrazi, CEO of Sohar Free Zone.

The factory will provide job opportunities for Omani youth, with a total of 200 jobs; its Omanisation percentage will be raised to 50 percent over the next five years.

The Gulf demand for calcined petroleum coal is estimated at 1.5 million tons annually.