Barka– Barka Fishing Port Project (Barka Marina) in the Wilayat of Barka, South Al Batinah Governorate, serves as a vivid model for realizing the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 in diversifying income sources and increasing the added value of the national economy. It is the first fishing port in the Sultanate of Oman to be entirely developed and invested in by the private sector under a usufruct system, with construction investments exceeding RO 55 million, and is designed to function as a multi-purpose waterfront.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources has stated that the project comprises several key components. In the fisheries and logistics sector, the port includes an advanced marine quay for fishing boats and vessels, a modern, air-conditioned fish market meeting international health standards, ice factories, cold storage facilities, and a number of marine workshops.
On the commercial and tourism front, the port features an integrated commercial complex (Marina Mall), a waterfront promenade (boulevard) designed to host a series of restaurants and cafés with direct sea views, as well as dedicated areas for beach games and activities, private marinas for yachts and leisure boats, and marine tourism activities. The promenade also serves as a family-friendly outlet for hosting events, seasonal festivals, and recreational activities, thereby enhancing Barka’s status as a prominent tourist destination.
Eng. Hassan Hussain Al Aghbari, Assistant Director General of Fisheries at the Directorate General of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources in South Al Batinah Governorate, told Oman News Agency (ONA) that the Barka Fishing Port Project (Barka Marina) falls within the Ministry’s strategy to develop fishing ports into integrated economic development centers.
The project directly supports the national economy by boosting GDP. It achieves this by integrating fisheries, commercial, and tourism activities in one location. The project also provides modern infrastructure that ensures fish product quality and supply chain sustainability. Furthermore, it diversifies income sources through investment returns and stimulates commercial activity across South Al Batinah Governorate, particularly in Barka.
He added that the project has commenced phased operations and production to ensure facility efficiency. Since its inauguration, the port has demonstrated promising performance indicators. Notable growth has been recorded in fishing boat traffic, attracting more artisanal boats and coastal vessels thanks to modern facilities. Higher fish landing volumes have also been achieved, driven by improved fish quality and hygiene. These outcomes are supported by logistics services and auxiliary plants that directly serve the sector.
He explained that the development process at Barka Marina remains ongoing and flexible, with strategic plans aimed at introducing new investment packages and opportunities to meet growing demand. These include expanding the capacity of yacht and leisure boat marinas to accommodate increasing traffic, integrating advanced technologies in digital fisheries landing and marketing management and tracking, and introducing future opportunities in the hospitality sector—such as beachfront hotels or hotel apartments—to serve visitors to the wilayat and the governorate.
Al Aghbari affirmed that the project offers an attractive investment environment with tangible facilitation measures, particularly for Omani entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including flexible commercial spaces at competitive prices aligned with the feasibility study capabilities of emerging projects. Additionally, the project provides grace periods and rental concessions at the start of contracts to help businesses stabilize and grow. The project also offers fully integrated infrastructure to ensure an active consumer market.
He noted that the project’s management adopts a phased and gradual operational plan to ensure quality management and the completion of all technical and contractual preparations. The current phase primarily focuses on activating the system directly related to fishermen and marine activities, operating the fish market, ice factory, marine workshop, and fishing equipment stores to secure supply chains and serve the local fishing community as a foundational step for regulating the port’s actual operations.
Eng. Al Aghbari explained that construction of restaurants, cafés, and other recreational and commercial facilities has reached the interior finishing and investor-specific decoration stage, with final permits being processed to ensure safe and full readiness for visitors. A gradual opening of these facilities is expected. This will complete the project’s vision, namely creating an integrated destination that merges fisheries economic activity with family-friendly recreation.
