SOHAR Port and Freezone slashes contract processing time by 80%

Summary

SOHAR Port and Freezone, located in Oman, is a major player in global logistics. Their contracts with investors, tenants, and employees were manual, requiring in-person signatures. This method was time-consuming, error-prone, and inefficient. 

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic created an urgent need to maintain operations without physical contact. This pushed SOHAR Port and Freezone to explore digital solutions for managing contracts.

In 2020, SOHAR Port and Freezone started using Signeasy. This change made it easier and quicker to sign, send, and track contracts right from their computers. 

They could now manage contracts within familiar tools like Microsoft SharePoint, Teams, and Outlook. Adding single sign-on (SSO) simplified user access management on Signeasy.

Since adopting a paperless mindset, SOHAR Port and Freezone has significantly sped up how quickly they process contracts. What used to take weeks now sees 62% of documents wrapped up within 24 hours—a whopping 80% cut in processing time. 

Automating contract workflow with features like reusable templates, sequential signing, and SSO further boosted operational efficiency and lightened the load on their IT admin team.

SOHAR Port and Freezone: A gateway for global trade

Situated midway between Dubai and Muscat, SOHAR Port and Freezone is a key logistical hub and an economic powerhouse. 

With a strategic placement central to Europe-Asia trade routes and direct access to Gulf markets and Iran, SOHAR offers expansive facilities, including an uncluttered highway system, a new cargo airport, and deep-water docks capable of accommodating the largest ships. SOHAR supports massive industrial sectors, including logistics, petrochemicals, and metals, reinforcing its role in global trade.

“SOHAR Port and Freezone administrate over the Port and the Freezone areas. We provide the infrastructure and services required for industrial companies to maintain their operation. So basically, we act as both landlord and port administration.” says Said Al Mamari, IT Applications Officer.

Operations are diverse and rely heavily on detailed contracts and paperwork across all departments, from HR to IT to Procurement. It includes everything from logistical support to rental agreements to hiring employees. Keeping these documents in order is crucial for smooth and efficient operations at the port.

In an insightful discussion, Said Al Mamari, IT Applications Officer at Sohar Port and Freezone, shared the company’s digitization journey with Signeasy.

Where paper prevails, efficiency fails

Contract management at SOHAR Port and Freezone heavily relied on a manual, paper-based approach. Documents had to be printed, physically signed, and then scanned and emailed or couriered to relevant stakeholders. 

This process was time-consuming and vulnerable to security breaches. Physical documents could be lost, damaged, or accessed by unauthorized individuals.

Document tracking was another significant challenge. Since signatures had to be collected in person and parties spread between Sohar City and Muscat— a three-hour drive apart—tracking documents was difficult. As a result, processing documents could take anywhere from several days to weeks.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the system's inefficiencies, as the shift to remote work made the traditional paper-based and in-person processes impractical. “If we go back to the Corona situation, everybody was working from home, so we needed a solution to continue our operations. We cannot stop at that time,” recalls Said Al Mamari.

The manual nature of the processes increased the likelihood of human errors. Misplaced or misfiled documents and mistakes in paperwork forced starting the process over, wasting valuable time, frustrating staff, and hindering the port’s operational efficiency.

Streamlining admin tasks with smoother workflows

The switch to Signeasy marked a leap towards operational efficiency and tighter security at SOHAR Port and Freezone. The move streamlined routine tasks across departments, mainly Procurement, HR, and IT, making it easier to manage everything from signing contracts to tracking status.

Said Al Mamari explains the broad utility of Signeasy:

“It is used across various departments. Our procurement team uses it for all new contracts, HR for onboarding and handling expense forms, and IT for internal documents and contracts. It’s really changed how we work.”

Contract management within Microsoft Suite

The seamless integration of Signeasy with Microsoft Teams and SharePoint has simplified accessing and storing documents, making the whole process smoother. 

“We use Microsoft Teams extensively for communication with departments and internal teams. The integration of Signeasy with Microsoft has streamlined our document management process by allowing direct access to and signing of documents stored on SharePoint and easy sharing on Teams and Outlook. This has enhanced collaboration among teams,” Al Mamari adds.

Speedy, automated document workflows

Create templates on Signeasy have automated workflows, replacing slow manual processes with quicker, more reliable ones. 

“The template creation feature has become indispensable to our workflow. It allows us to quickly generate contracts and agreements from pre-set templates, significantly reducing the time and effort required to prepare these documents from scratch,” Al Mamari explains.

One of the standout features of Signeasy at SOHAR Port and Freezone is the signing order capability, which ensures that documents are signed sequentially. It is particularly useful in a multi-departmental setting, where documents often require approvals from various levels within the organization.

“The signing order feature is excellent," Al Mamari notes. "The process begins with the relevant employees and then progresses to the manager and the department head. It’s all very streamlined and organized now. Instead of handling everything manually, we automate the processes to save time.”

Simplified user management, tighter security

Managing user access and permissions was a manual process filled with potential errors and security risks. It was challenging to ensure that only authorized personnel had access to sensitive documents.

The single sign-on (SSO) feature simplified the login process, giving the IT team a breather.

“At SOHAR Port, we use over 20 applications internally. Managing different passwords for each can be a real headache for the employees,” Al Mamari explains. “We often had to reset passwords as people would forget them, which took time and effort. Now, with SSO, managing user access is no longer stressful—it’s a huge relief for us.”

Improved operations, better contract management

Since implementing Signeasy, SOHAR Port and Freezone has achieved measurable gains in efficiency and productivity. 

Rapid contract processing

Before, finalizing contracts could take days or even weeks. Now, with Signeasy, the average document turnaround time has come down by 80%, with 62% of documents signed within a day.

“Signeasy helped us save time and manage our documents more efficiently,” Al Mamari shares. “We streamlined the signing process across all levels—departments, managers, CEOs. We can send reminders, design templates, and more.”

Reduction in paperwork and operational costs

The shift to digital has reduced their reliance on paper, significantly cutting down operational costs associated with paper storage and supply.

“Now, everyone can be reached online, which saves time and energy, and cuts down on paper. It also reduced the back-and-forth and issues with missing details. Before Signeasy, it was common to miss something, and we’d have to start the signing process all over,” Al Mamari explains. “Now, we have a system where everything is documented clearly—a comprehensive solution that keeps everyone informed about their documents. The process for signing and approvals is transparent, and more teams are adopting it daily.”

Reflecting on the overall impact, Said Al Mamari rates the experience highly: 

“I’d definitely give Signeasy a high score, around 4.9 out of 5. We’ve been working with them for a while and see continual improvements each year. It’s been very effective, meeting our needs without issues.”