Sohar Port and Freezone signs agreement with Opal

Muscat: Sohar Port and Freezone has joined hands with the Oman Society for Petroleum Services (Opal) to promote road safety awareness and safe driving techniques, and to collaborate on the adoption of Opal Road Safety Standards in the Port and Freezone area.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on May 20 at the head office of Sohar Port and Freezone here by the CEO Sohar Port, Mark Geilenkirchen; and CEO Sohar Freezone and DCEO Sohar Port Jamal Aziz; with Musallam Al Mandhari, CEO Opal.
Highlighting the importance of maintaining safe driving practices at all times, Suwaid Al Shamaisi, Executive Manager Corporate Affairs at Sohar Port and Freezone, said, “Sohar Port and Freezone is committed to maintaining a healthy, safe, and secure environment for our industries, our surrounding community, and nature itself. Additionally, Sohar Port continues to upgrade its rules and regulations to match the latest global standards."
"Our traffic safety protocols are quite strict and will be further enhanced through this agreement. Together with the support of Opal, the application of the Road Safety Standard will greatly contribute to reducing traffic incidents, to ensure the well-being of all our staff, stakeholders and the society at large,” added Al Shamaisi.
Opal is the first society in Oman’s petroleum industry to be officially approved and established in the Sultanate. It was launched on October 27, 2001, under the Ministry of Social Development. Opal started as a concept in 1998, wherein like-minded companies embarked on a mission to promote industry standards and create a level playing field.
Al Mandhari said, “At Opal, we aim to provide and promote best-practice workplace competence and professionalism under one roof. We strive to raise the standards of the Oman Petroleum Industry and related industries to a level that is world class, internationally competitive, and optimally utilises industrial resources; while at the same time being mindful of their respective business interests.”
“Additionally, Opal will be forming an implementation committee together with our users within the Port. It will integrate relevant components of the Road Safety Standards with Sohar Port’s Rules and Regulations, thus creating an overall risk-free environment for the Sultanate in the long-run,” said Al Shamaisi.
Opal is a non-profit organisation with more than 400 members, who comprise large and small oil and gas producers and operators, contractors, and suppliers.