Qatar has widened its overland freight links to around 75 countries through the international TIR road transport framework, while also pressing ahead with measures aimed at making customs procedures faster and more efficient for importers, suppliers and traders, according to Qatar Television.
The report said facilitating procedures for the business community remains a key focus for customs authorities, with continued efforts under way to reduce clearance times and ease administrative requirements.
The objective is to ensure the smoother movement of goods through the country’s ports and logistics gateways at a time when regional conditions are placing greater strain on transport and shipping operations.
A significant portion of cargo is currently entering Qatar overland through the Saudi border under the Transit, or TIR, system. This route has assumed greater importance as cargo activity at Hamad International Airport remains limited, with air freight capacity largely concentrated on priority shipments such as food and medical supplies.
Qatar Television said Qatar Airways Cargo is prioritising those essential consignments in co-ordination with Hassad Food Company.
The TIR system, a global mechanism for cross-border road transport, connects Qatar to a wide logistics network spanning about 76 countries.
A major advantage of the system is that goods can move under a single customs seal, which reduces the need for repeated full inspections at every border crossing and helps accelerate the movement of trucks and commercial cargo across frontiers.
Qatar has also digitised use of the system through the Al Nadeeb platform, allowing import, export and transit transactions to be processed electronically.
According to the report, this helps lower costs, cut procedural complexity and strengthen cargo security, while improving operational efficiency across the wider transport and logistics chain.
At the same time, the Ministry of Transport, through the Logistics Support Committee, is working with the relevant entities to address challenges faced by shipping and transport companies.
These include extending truck operating hours and easing permit procedures for drivers and vehicles. Other proposals under review include allowing GCC-registered shipments to move more freely within the region and establishing a direct hotline between ports and shipping companies to speed up co-ordination and resolve bottlenecks more effectively.