“Qatar’s membership in the Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding will take Qatar’s maritime transport sector from the local to the international arena, leading the region in portal state control field,” said Dr Saleh Fetais al-Marri, general supervisor of Maritime Transport Affairs at the MoTC.
The memorandum will contribute to the enhancement of the maritime transport sector in the state of Qatar through applying the highest international standards in the field of ship inspection, as well as elevating the quality of national vessels in terms of safety and security, he added.
The MoU will help train national cadres to execute better ship inspection works under the umbrella of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
The MoU on Portal State Control for the Indian Ocean region is signed by the maritime authorities of 21 countries, including among others Australia, France, India, Oman, and South Africa. All the signatory countries have come together to combat sub-standard shipping in the Indian Ocean region. The MoU came into effect in 1999.
