New guidelines for Saudi-bound vehicles

The land transport companies operating between the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been asked to take note of the new regulations to be followed from February 1, 2023.

The Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology (MoTCIT) said the age of all cargo trucks travelling to Saudi Arabia, including transit services, should not exceed more than 20 years from the year of manufacture.

The statement also said that the distance between the centres of the two axes should not be less than 2.72 metres in all Saudi-bound taxi vehicles. The age of these vehicles should not exceed five years from the year of manufacture.

The bus operators must consider that their vehicles should be less than 10 years from the date of manufacture.

With 400,000 people having used the Saudi-Oman Road, officials say the potential of this unique highway project is still untapped or unexplored, according to Said bin Hamoud al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.

“As of September this year, nearly half a million tonnes of goods have been shipped, and over 400,000 passengers have used the new direct road between two countries. We expect this number to double and triple in the next five years easily because currently, the movement on this road does have much transit or third-party traffic,” he said.

The road and border Empty Quarters linking the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was opened on December 8.

The length is 725 km; from the Sultanate of Oman the road starts from Ibri in Al Dhahirah Governorate and ends at the Empty Quarter border port with a length of 161 km. The route starts from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from Batha intersection and ends at the border port with a length of 564 km.

The road is expected to contribute to expanding the volume of trade exchange, reviving tourism, and enabling Omani exports to reach the rest of the world through the Red Sea gateway. It will also enable Saudi exports to reach the rest of the world directly through the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

@vinot_nair