Salalah is a deep-water transhipment hub on the main Asia–Europe trunk route, calling on the Indian Ocean rather than the Gulf, operated by Port of Salalah (APM Terminals) at Salalah. It works 18 m of alongside draft and around 5 million TEU — one of the largest transhipment terminals in the region. Cargo discharged here clears under Oman rules — 5% customs duty, 5% VAT and 1–3 working days for a complete file. Your vessel is already on an Asia–Europe mainline string, or you need the fastest ocean transit from Asia into Oman without the Hormuz detour — inland cargo for Muscat is usually better routed via Sohar or Sultan Qaboos.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Salalah, Oman |
| Operator | Port of Salalah (APM Terminals) |
| Container capacity | Around 5 million TEU — one of the largest transhipment terminals in the region |
| Alongside draft | 18 m |
| Cargo handled | Transhipment containers, Reefer and perishables, Dry bulk (limestone, gypsum), Containerised general cargo |
| Hinterland served | Dhofar governorate; most boxes are relayed to feeder vessels rather than trucked inland |
| Attached facilities | Salalah Free Zone adjoins the port; strong reefer plug capacity for perishable cargo |
| Origin | Est. freight (USD) | Transit (days) | Service into this port | Route detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | $1,500 | 12 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Singapore | $2,000 | 12 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| China | $2,200 | 22 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Vietnam | $2,300 | 23 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| South Korea | $2,400 | 24 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Egypt | $1,400 | 6 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Turkey | $1,900 | 14 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Italy | $2,900 | 20 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Netherlands | $3,038 | 29 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Germany | $3,200 | 31 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| USA | $4,200 | 38 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
Your vessel is already on an Asia–Europe mainline string, or you need the fastest ocean transit from Asia into Oman without the Hormuz detour — inland cargo for Muscat is usually better routed via Sohar or Sultan Qaboos.
Inland, Salalah serves Dhofar governorate; most boxes are relayed to feeder vessels rather than trucked inland. Salalah Free Zone adjoins the port; strong reefer plug capacity for perishable cargo.
The lanes with the strongest direct or high-frequency service into Salalah are China, India, Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea — those sailings are usually the cheapest and most schedule-reliable way to reach this terminal.
Oman combines domestic demand with Sohar and Salalah acting as industrial and transshipment gateways outside the Strait of Hormuz.
Cargo discharged at Salalah clears under Oman customs rules — OMR is the settlement currency and duty and VAT are assessed on the declared CIF value. Importers routing through Salalah should budget both the ocean freight shown above and destination charges (THC, documentation, delivery order and inland haulage), which the landed cost calculator itemises.
Estimate all-in shipping costs into Salalah.