MUSCAT — Balaji Shipping Lines (BSL) FZCO, part of the Transworld Group of Companies has initiated their maiden call of their ever-growing AGS Liner Shipping Services, at Port of Sohar, Oman on April 24, 2012.

The AGS services which commenced its operation in 2011, has provided their customers with consistent and reliable connections between the Indian Sub-Continent, Saudi Arabia and Iraq via the leading regional hub of Jebel Ali-UAE. The new direct service from Mundra to Port to Port of Sohar, further connecting Dammam, Jabal Ali, Karachi and North Indian ICD via Mundra port, fulfils another promise from BSL to keep innovating and creating new shipping high-ways, in line with their customers growing needs.

Today, Balaji Shipping’s operations span the Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Persian Gulf, Red Sea, CIS, South East Asia, Far East, South and East Africa, UK, Europe and USA. Operations that have made Balaji Shipping a familiar sight on the high seas and beyond, operating out of offices in more than 50 ports, related inland container depots and worldwide locations with over a 1,000 dedicated employees.

The Port of Sohar is one of the largest port development projects in the world with investments exceeding $14 billion. It is a deep sea port with a draft of 18 meters. The Port of Sohar is a 50/50 joint venture between the Government of Oman and the Port of Rotterdam and located 220 km northwest of the capital Muscat. This industrial port is a deep sea port and has grown tremendously in size and importance, in only eight years since inception in 2003.

This volume together with the growth of Port of Sohar and the development of Free zone Sohar will strengthen Sohar “as an ideal point of entry for products shipped around the Gulf countries and as a gateway to the rest of the world” according to Andre Toet, CEO of Port of Sohar. These developments will also strengthen Oman’s efforts to diversify its economical drivers away from the oil and gas industry be increasing the logistic link with countries around us.