A major new shipping terminal has been formally opened at the Omani port of Raysut, on the Indian Ocean.

Shipping analysts say that the new terminal, which cost two-hundred-and-sixty million dollars, will save three days journey time for vessels travelling to the Gulf.

By using the new terminal, large ships can offload cargoes to smaller feeder vessels, thus avoiding the need to navigate through the narrow Strait of Hormuz to reach the Gulf.

Oman's ports director,Jamal Aziz, told the BBC that Raysut port is situated only about two-hundred and forty kilometres from the main east-west shipping routes, through which one-third of the world's trans-shipment cargo must pass.