Doha, Qatar: Qatar has made significant investment in transport sector which has placed the country in a leading position in global maritime sector. The Ministry of Transport (MoT) completed 4,729 transactions through Maritime Transport Affairs in second quarter (Q2) of this year, the ministry tweeted, recently.
The transactions were related to main services such as issuance and accreditation of certificates of competency for safe manning, naval architect, marine officer. The main service also includes maritime vessels (ownership transfer, renewal and registration); and foreign vessel engaged in operations in Qatar waters (data modifying and renewal).
The maritime transport sector is committed to developing and modernising the sector in line with MoT’s strategic plans aiming at ensuring a safe maritime navigation that meets all safety requirements and obligations, and keeping pace with international maritime developments through creative and effective application of international maritime instruments and observation of emerging trends and latest publications.
MoT completed 4,415 transactions through Maritime Transport Affairs in second quarter of last year. Out of total 4,415 transactions, 4,232 transactions were related to maritime vessels’ main services, maritime licences’ services and sailor affairs’ main services while only 183 transactions were related to maritime system services.
The maritime transport sector is working on developing the legal framework for maritime activities, and enhancing the technical and administrative aspects of inspection, examination, control and investigation related to accidents.
As part of ministry’s efforts to achieve the strategic objectives of Qatar’s National Vision 2030, the maritime transport sector maintains a close relationship with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and runs constant reviews of national legislation to ensure their compliance with relevant international legislation in the best interests of Qatar.
The Marine Transport Planning and Licensing enforces the provisions of the legislations and regulations governing Maritime Transport Affairs as well as develops the general planning policy for maritime transport processes.
It conducts necessary studies to plan the construction and development of maritime transport networks in coordination with the relevant authorities and also conducts necessary studies to determine licensing requirements.
It also checks the means of maritime transport for compliance with set specifications, in cooperation with relevant authorities; approves sailors’ licenses; issues and renews certificates of competency and marine licenses and documents for workers on board of Qatari vessels.
In June 2023, Mwani Qatar ports (Hamad Port, Doha Port, Ruwais Port) handled 95,963 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) containers, while the number of ships calling on Qatar’s three ports stood at 197.
The ports also received 21,688 tonnes of general and bulk cargo shipments, 7,543 units of vehicles, 23,723 heads of livestock and 41,140 tonnes of building materials last month.
Hamad Port, Qatar’s main gateway to world trade ranked eighth in the world and third in the Arab region on the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) for 2022.
