From Muscat to Rotterdam

From a few years ago, when the R&D team of Karim Investment Company decided to analyse the world energy markets as well as the transport and export this vital commodity, it began feasibility studies of the most important global routes and strategic ports for the energy sector.

The studies showed that the Northern and Southern coasts of the Oman Sea and the oceanic coasts of Oman would be one of the most important areas for maritime transport and international trade in the near future.

In addition, Oman has been of great interest because of its high level of security in terms of investment and special government facilities offered to support investment and trade. The government of Oman is implementing its comprehensive development plan called “Oman 2040“, when the country will become a major commercial and tourism hub.

Therefore, after perceiving the significance of the above data, Karim Investment Company established its headquarters in Muscat, Oman.

Oman and the Northern coast of the Oman Sea, located in Iran and Pakistan, possess an exceptional status, being located on the Western side of the Golden Triangular International Trade routes in the region.

The Golden Triangular International Trade route connects three vital straits on the maritime trade routes and also links the Strait of Malacca in Indonesia to the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb in the Middle East. In addition, the Oman Sea and its Northern and Southern coasts will be the conjunction of three extensive networks of international trade routes.

The points of connection of three huge projects called “Belt and Road Initiative“, “International North–South Transport Corridor” and “the Corridor connecting Central Asia to the Sea of ​​Oman” will transform the future routes of international trade.

In this light, the ports of Karachi and Gwadar in Pakistan and Chabahar in Iran along with the ports of Muscat and Duqm in Oman will also become significant in the near future.

As a result, the ports of Karachi in Pakistan and Chabahar in Iran have attracted the attention of Karim Investment Company and representative offices have been established in these key ports. This  allows the holding to connect to the North-South Corridor and the New Silk Road, meaning fast and cheaper access to European markets. Having access to Pakistan and Iran’s key ports, the holding has its sights on two other ports in the East and West of Europe to achieve an important goal which is access to European energy markets.

Due to the war in Ukraine and the ban on the import of oil and gas from Russia, Europe has a vital and urgent need for alternative resources, and the Middle East region, as the world’s largest energy hub, is considered as the main replacement resource for Russian oil and gas.

Therefore, Karim Investment Company intends to use its extensive marine logistics and land transportation capabilities to deliver Middle Eastern energy, in the form of oil, liquefied gas (LNG) and other oil, gas and petrochemical products to European markets.

To this end, the company has chosen two key ports: Istanbul (Turkey) in Eastern Europe and Rotterdam (Netherlands) in Western Europe for its activities.

Istanbul enjoys a privileged position due to its proximity to the Black and the Aegean Seas, as well as the two strategic straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. The high capacity of this port and easy access to Eastern and Southern Europe are the advantages that makes Istanbul a suitable choice for the holding. In addition, Istanbul has access to the Persian Gulf by sea from the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, as well as access to the IRI national railway network and connection to the New Silk Road by road, which connects to Chabahar port.

At present, the representative office of the company is active in Istanbul and we are advancing further activity in Eastern Europe.

But the ambitions and goals of Karim Investment Company in the European markets go beyond the above mentioned activities, and to achieve its goals, the company has focused on the port of Rotterdam, nicknamed the “Gateway to Europe”, as an energy transportation hub.

The port of Rotterdam is considered as one of the most attractive places in the world for investment and activity in the energy sector, due to its unique potential in transportation, storage and refining of oil and gas.

The port, the largest in Europe and the second largest in the world,  transits approximately 500 million tons of goods annually, mainly oil, gas and related products.

The favorable coastal depth in this port allows for the docking of the largest available oil tankers and ships. Also, the connection of the navigable rivers in Europe (such as the Rhine) to this port connects this port to important European countries (Germany and Belgium).

Therefore, by opening its representative office in Rotterdam, Karim Investment Company has demonstrated its determination for this city to become a key energy exporting hub.

By creating an extensive sea and land network from Muscat to Rotterdam and using the capacity of new roads and trade corridors as well as key ports such as Karachi, Chabahar and Istanbul great success has been achieved by KIC.

Our activity in the Middle East and unrestricted access to the largest oil and gas producing countries is a great advantage for Karim Investment Company. The holding can use its great potential in the field of maritime transportation and logistics to transport oil and gas from the Persian Gulf to other parts of the world, especially Europe.

Therefore, Karim Investment Company can, swiftly and with firm determination, move towards becoming a key player in terms of transit and energy exports.

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