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Private 5G targets port automation
Omantel will deploy a managed private 5G Standalone network for the Port of Salalah, giving the Omani gateway dedicated connectivity to support its automation and digital operations.
The project will include a dedicated 5G SA private core, upgraded mobile sites across the port, rugged customer premises equipment, and 600 SIMs with monthly data allowances for connected devices.
For a modern port, connectivity is no longer just an office utility. It is closer to the nervous system of the terminal. Cranes, vehicles, workforce applications, control systems, and safety tools all need stable data links if automation is to work in real operating conditions.
99.9% availability for critical operations
Omantel said the network will be delivered as a fully managed service with 99.9% availability. The system will be supported by the company’s network operations centre and business call centre, with monitoring and response capabilities built into the service.
The network is designed to integrate with the port’s existing operational systems and support real time data exchange across equipment and workforce applications.
Port of Salalah CEO Steven Yoogalingam said reliable and high performance connectivity is becoming essential as the port modernizes and expands automation.
“As we continue to modernize our operations and embrace automation, reliable and high performance connectivity becomes essential to our success,” Yoogalingam said. “The 5G private network will allow us to validate new capabilities, enhance real time decision making, and strengthen the resilience of our operations.”
Salalah tests wider logistics use case
The deployment gives Salalah a platform to test new digital capabilities without relying only on public mobile coverage or fixed networks.
For terminal operators, that distinction matters. A private 5G network can be designed around port operations, with coverage, capacity, and service levels matched to heavy equipment yards, quayside areas, warehouses, and mobile workforces.
The Port of Salalah is one of Oman’s key logistics assets, handling containerized and general cargo flows through a location close to major east west shipping routes. The new network is intended to support productivity and competitiveness as ports across the region invest in automation, visibility, and more resilient cargo handling systems.
The question for many port operators is simple: how can automation deliver value if the underlying communications network is not built for industrial use?
Omantel’s answer at Salalah is a dedicated private 5G setup, managed as a service and supported by industrial grade equipment.
Omantel eyes wider private 5G rollout
Omantel CEO Aladdin bin Abdullah Bait Fadhil said the project could become a model for other ports, logistics hubs, and industrial zones in Oman.
“Through the deployment of advanced private 5G infrastructure, we are enabling smarter operations, greater efficiency and sustainable growth while empowering people with technologies and capabilities needed to thrive in a digital economy,” he said.
The Salalah project also signals how telecom operators are positioning private 5G as infrastructure for industrial users, not only as a faster mobile service.
For ports, the business case will depend on whether the network can support measurable gains in uptime, equipment coordination, safety, and cargo visibility. At Salalah, the first test will be whether dedicated 5G can help turn automation plans into day to day operational performance.
