Mwani Qatar, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, the General Authority of Customs, and the QTerminals Group, organized a symposium entitled “Facilitating the entry and exit of transit shipments through the land port” at the Hamad Port Visitor Center, as part of its commitment to strengthening the position of the State of Qatar as a commercial logistics center in the region. The symposium, which was attended by representatives of shipping agencies and companies operating in the maritime transport sector in the country, reviewed the simplified procedures and exclusive benefits available for transit shipments at Hamad Port, which allows for efficient and cost-effective transportation of goods to neighboring countries.
The symposium opened with a welcome speech, followed by an overview of the symposium objectives and the streamlined protocols at Hamad Port for transit shipments covering simplified customs processes, optimized handling procedures and efficiency-focused strategies to reduce costs for companies using Hamad Port as a gateway to transport goods to neighboring countries.
Hamad Port offers many competitive advantages for transit shipments, such as reduced tariffs, additional free storage, reduced customs fees, highly efficient ship and yard operations, and rapid truck passage procedures, as well as advanced electronic infrastructure that includes automated gates, a truck scheduling platform, and transportation facilities. Electronic payment through the integrated port community system “Mwanina”, which connects the entities working in the port to ensure smooth workflow and provide the necessary support at all stages of the shipment’s journey until it exits to its final destination through the land port.
The symposium concluded with an open question and answer session, allowing participants to raise their inquiries and discuss the benefits of using Hamad Port as a preferred gateway for regional transit shipments in line with the strategic plan of the Ministry of Transport aimed at transforming Qatar into a vibrant regional commercial center in the region.
It is worth noting that during the first nine months of 2024, Hamad Port handled 1.067 million standard containers, 49% of which were transit containers. It also handled 1.15 million tons of general and bulk cargo, more than 89 thousand units of equipment and vehicles, and about 20 thousand heads. of livestock on board 1,129 ships. Hamad Port, which is managed by Qatar Mwani Company under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport, is classified as one of the largest ports in the Middle East with a capacity of 7.5 million TEU annually. It is considered one of the most important long-term projects that embody the Qatar National Vision 2030, which is a tributary to social, economic, environmental and human development in Qatar. Hamad Port has already been able to bring about a qualitative transformation in diversifying the Qatari economy and enhancing competitiveness through its role in securing the import and re-export of goods and merchandise, thanks to the use of the latest technologies used in operating ports, which are characterized by the highest standards of security and safety, including the uniquely designed control tower. With a height of 110 meters, it includes a customs inspection area for rapid clearance of goods (5,600 containers per day), in addition to a platform for inspecting ships and other multiple marine facilities.
Al-Yafei: An important step that makes the port a logistical center in the region
Captain Abdulaziz Al Yafei, Executive Vice President of Operations at Qatar Mwani Company, confirmed that facilitating the entry and exit of transit shipments through the land port is an important step that makes Hamad Port a logistics center and a starting point for shipping and transshipment in the region.
Al-Yafei said in press statements on the sidelines of the symposium organized by Mwani Qatar to review the advantages of the procedures and facilities that were announced for transit shipments that their purpose is to enhance intra-trade between the State of Qatar and neighboring countries, adding that Hamad Port today has great potential and offers many incentives to investors and companies. .
The Executive Vice President of Operations at Mwani Qatar pointed out that it is working to attract more value-added shipments and volumes to Hamad Port as part of efforts to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030 by launching several initiatives that contribute to the growth of trade volume with neighboring countries.
Al-Yafei expected that the new facilities and procedures would contribute to increasing the volume of operational operations at Hamad Port and transforming it into a major port in the region.
Hamad Port’s performance witnessed an increase in transshipment volumes during the first nine months of this year compared to the same period of the previous year, when about 522 thousand re-shipped containers were handled.