Media

The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) held an inauguration ceremony for new road network projects in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD), including the dualisation of Sultan Said bin Taimur Road (National Road No. 32 South) and Ras Markaz Road.

The ceremony was held under the auspices of H.E. Dr. Said bin Mohammed Al Saqri, Minister of Economy, and attended by H.E. Sheikh Dr. Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, Chairman of OPAZ, as well as H.E. Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al Murshid, CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development.

H.E. Al Saqri commended the growth seen by the Special Economic Zone at Duqm and the facilities it offers to investors, noting that the establishment of new projects in the transport sector aligns with economic and social development plans and has a positive impact on the competitiveness of the country’s economy.

In a press statement following the inauguration of the two projects, he affirmed that road projects represent a fundamental pillar for supporting sustainable economic growth, enhancing commercial activity and logistical connectivity among various projects, and improving the efficiency of services provided to investors. He added that these projects also play a key role in enabling the tourism, industrial, and commercial sectors and in strengthening the overall business environment.

During the ceremony, Eng. Ahmed bin Ali Al Akaak, CEO of SEZAD, shed light on the importance of road projects in reinforcing the investment attraction efforts and enhancing the quality of life. In his address, he noted that SEZAD has been equipped with a highly efficient road network linking residential, commercial and investment areas.

He added that works on the local roads of the new Saay Commercial District were completed this year, while construction is currently under way on the dual coastal road in the tourism area, which will connect the area with the fishing port and food industries complex.

He emphasised that the benefits of road projects extend beyond infrastructure development and improved mobility to include supporting small and medium enterprises through the business opportunities generated by these projects.

The Southern Road forms part of Sultan Said bin Taimur Road and is designed to link Duqm city centre with Duqm Airport, the oil storage area, and renewable energy projects. Work is currently under way to complete the dualisation of the road from the northern side to facilitate access to the Duqm Refinery (OQ8) and heavy industries projects, as well as to ease traffic flow for arrivals via the Sinaw–Mahout–Duqm Road.

Meanwhile, the Ras Markaz Road dualisation project aims to connect the oil storage terminal, clean energy projects, and the fisheries and food industries area with Duqm city centre, extending from the Duqm Airport roundabout to Ras Markaz.

The total length of the two roads, together with associated service and connecting roads, is approximately 67 kilometres. The projects include full lighting through more than 1,875 lighting poles. The Sultan Said bin Taimur Road dualisation also includes the construction of eight signalised intersections equipped with an integrated smart traffic control system, the installation of fibre optic cables linking all signals to a central control unit at SEZAD’s headquarters, and the construction of box culverts and pipelines for rainwater drainage.

The Ras Markaz Road dualisation was designed to high engineering standards to prevent surface water accumulation and wadi flooding, through the construction of concrete bridges over wadi channels. High quality pavement layers were implemented to enhance load bearing capacity, and metal safety barriers extending over 100,000 metres were installed to ensure vehicle safety along the route.