Qatar Chamber, through its Services Committee, has announced the formation a ‘24/7 Team’, an internal working group that will operate non-stop, as well as a dedicated hotline to receive reports on challenges facing the transportation and logistics sector.
In a video conference held yesterday, board member Ali bin Abdullatif al-Misnad, who is also chairman of the committee, noted that the team will study these issues and refer them to the relevant authorities to find appropriate solutions, in a way that safeguards the continued flow of goods and enhances commercial transportation in the country.
The online meeting was attended by representatives from the General Authority of Customs, Mwani Qatar, Qatar Airways, and the Ministry of Transport, as well as more than 30 companies operating in the country’s transportation and logistics sector.
The meeting reviewed the key challenges facing the services sector under the current circumstances, particularly those related to transportation and freight, and discussed ways to address them.
During the meeting, the participants reviewed the status of land, air, and sea cargo and supply chains, and discussed private sector proposals to address challenges facing transportation, logistics, and shipping companies.
They also reviewed mechanisms to streamline land and sea shipping, based on key proposals submitted by logistics companies in the country.
Al-Misnad stressed that the Qatar Chamber is keen to identify all challenges facing shipping and transport companies under the current circumstances and to coordinate with the relevant authorities to address obstacles affecting the supply of goods and merchandise to the country.
Yousef al-Nuaimi, director of the Air Cargo Department at the General Authority of Customs, said land cargo is relying on transit operations or the TIR System via the land port with Saudi Arabia.
Yousef al-Hammadi, director of the Land Customs Department at the General Authority of Customs, said 100% of commercial operations have been transferred to the land port. He pointed out that land customs provide all facilities to suppliers and traders, noting that all customs initiatives, including the economic operator and the TIR System, aim to facilitate the movement of trade in the country.
Captain Abdulaziz al-Yafei, executive vice president of Operations at Mwani Qatar, reported that the current circumstances, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, “have made it difficult for shipments to reach the country’s ports.”
Ehab Matta, representative of the Qatar Airways Cargo, said movement at Hamad International Airport is “relatively limited,” noting that Qatar Airways is keen to ensure the rapid delivery of food and medical supplies to the country. Some food supplies are being imported, in cooperation with Hassad Food, he also pointed out.
Hamad al-Marri, director of the Land Transport Licensing Department at the Ministry of Transport, said the ministry, in its capacity as a member of the Logistics Support Committee, recently met with shipping companies to discuss the issues they are facing. These include empty trucks entering neighbouring countries, extending the operational life of trucks, and facilitating the issuance of entry licences for drivers and vehicles.
During the meeting, the participants also introduced a number of proposals, including allowing all trucks registered in GCC countries to operate freely within any Gulf state and establishing a hotline between ports and shipping companies to facilitate procedures.