Arabian and Maritime Navigation Aids Service – AMNAS
In late 2003, the Government of the Sultanate of Oman granted Arabian Maritime and Navigation Aids Services – AMNAS – a private limited company, the exclusive right and privilege to provide an Aids to Navigation service throughout the Sultanate’s Territorial Waters and Exclusive Economic Zone.
This concession was proclaimed by Royal Decree No: 81/2003. The schedule of fees or navigational dues for the service was reviewed by the Government in 2008. A revised schedule of fees came into force on 1 November 2008.All non-exempted ships with a net registered tonnage of 500 tons or greater who use the Sultanate’s ports and anchorages, are bound legally to pay the fee.
Details of navigational dues and why they are levied may be found on the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ page.
The company has its head office and workshop in Muscat’s Ma’abela Industrial area. AMNAS has an office in Sohar and Salalah including a maintenance facility.
AMNAS activities include, but are not limited to:
- The efficient operation and planned maintenance of Aids to Navigation (AtoN) equipment and structures such as lighthouses, beacons, Racons and buoys situated along the Sultanate’s 1,709 nautical mile (3,600 kilometre) coastline and offshore islands.
- Strategic management of the service to ensure that the Sultanate’s AtoN navigational aid network meets the standards set by IALA as directed by IMO.
- Development of Government-endorsed plans to enhance and extend the existing network of AtoN with value added features such as differential Global Positioning and GMDSS features to meet both current and future patterns of maritime traffic density.
- Provision of maritime consultancy and training services.
AMNAS employs a dedicated team of Omani administrative, operational and technical staff.
Services
Levels of Service (LOS) statements and Operations Performance Standard (OPS) have been developed in accordance with the guidelines set out by IALA.
The Level of Service Statement for the Quantity of Aids to Navigation (AtoN) has been developed by an analysis of the maritime geographical areas within AMNAS’ area of jurisdiction.
Each area has been allocated a navigational risk factor. The higher the risk factor, the greater the quantity and mix of the AtoN is likely to be.
A risk matrix has been produced for each area which identifies the elements contributing to risk, the impact on the area if such a risk event occurred and an estimate of the likelihood of that risk occurring.
A risk control option has been generated for each risk element together with an overall analysis of the area and actions that AMNAS must take to minimise risk to the mariner and the environment.
News
In May was announced that AMNAS had been awarded a contract from Archirodon LLC to supply and deliver of four complete navigation buoys for the Qurayyat Independent Water Project.
The previous month AMNAS conducted an operation to replace the Salalah Fairway Buoy and the Salalah Harbour No. 2 Buoy.
Also in April AMNAS was awarded a contract from Royal Oman Police (Coast Guard Police Command) for the maintenance of Aids to Navigation for ROPCG in Sidab.
In March AMNAS gained a contract from Galfar Engineering & Contracting to supply, deliver and install twenty new navigation buoys and four new navigation beacons for Grand Blue City Project, said to be one of the biggest large scale developments in the Middle East.
Work under way in an operation to replace the Salalah Fairway Buoy and the Salalah Harbour
AMNAS ©
Text based on material kindly made available at www.amnas-oman.com
Rapporteur: Paul Ridgway