Musandam Signs Aims Bay Agreement for Future Marina in Khasab

A waterfront investment agreement in northern Oman

Oman's Musandam Governorate has signed a memorandum of understanding with Al Sarooj Development Company for infrastructure and tourism development at Aims Bay in Khasab. The agreement was concluded on 8 October 2026 during the Urban October programme in Muscat, bringing renewed attention to proposals for a marina and waterfront visitor facilities in the northern Omani governorate.

Sheikh Abdullah Salim Al Farsi, Wali of Khasab, signed on behalf of the governorate, with Sulaiman Khamis Al Qasmi, chief executive of Al Sarooj Construction, representing the development company. The parties describe the initiative as a way to improve local infrastructure and encourage tourism investment around the area's coastal resources, rather than as an announcement that a completed marina is accepting yachts.

Marina and tourism remain at the planning stage

The outline for Aims Bay includes a proposed boat marina, tourism and service facilities, and improvements to the surrounding waterfront. An earlier project proposal was one of three selected in a nationwide competition run by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning in June 2023. That proposal covered approximately 6.87 hectares and included Aims Marina, Aims Resort, Aims Bay and the Al Khalidiyah Viewpoint.

The October announcement establishes a cooperative development agreement but does not confirm funding completion, construction start, berth numbers, maximum permissible yacht length, dredged depth or an opening date. Those details are material for anyone considering a new destination, and it would be incorrect to market Aims Bay as an operational superyacht harbour at this stage.

Why Khasab matters for cruising operations

The Musandam Peninsula lies on the maritime approaches to the Strait of Hormuz, with dramatic fjord-like coastal scenery and Khasab as a principal settlement. Its position creates potential interest among cruising yachts moving through the Gulf of Oman, although route selection and current security conditions always require an independent passage assessment.

A new well-serviced recreational waterfront could eventually help attract visiting boats and support local economic activity. However, the operational value to a superyacht would depend on customs and immigration processes, the availability of fuel and shore power, repair resources, local rules and realistic access from the sea. Attractive coastlines alone do not establish those services.

Technical questions for a future marina

The dimensions and engineering standard of a future marina determine which vessels it can accept. Designers would need to study swell exposure, wave protection, seabed conditions, dredging requirements, environmental effects and safe navigation within the approach channel. Shore-side systems would also need to be matched to the scale of vessels planned for the site.

Large yachts place particularly demanding requirements on electrical supply, security, fire response, wastewater arrangements and service access. None of these capabilities has been specified in the October memorandum, so a future marina operator would need to publish verified infrastructure information before captains could use it in voyage planning.

A long-term regional waterfront initiative

The agreement is another example of coastal development being considered as part of wider tourism and economic investment in the region. It should be followed through planning approvals, feasibility work, finance and eventual construction milestones rather than judged only by a publicity image or the announcement of a memorandum.

For now, the credible news is the signed 8 October cooperation agreement and the marina's inclusion in the stated development concept. The accompanying image was supplied through the original Oman News Agency coverage and is credited accordingly; it does not prove that berths or harbour facilities have already been built.