Ali bin Abdul Latif Al Misnad (centre), member of the Board of Directors, Qatar Chamber, and Chairman of the Services Committee, presiding the meeting at QC headquarters, yesterday.
DOHA: The members of the Services Committee at Qatar Chamber, with the participation of representatives from several government agencies and ministries, held a meeting yesterday to discuss plans to develop the business environment in Qatar.
The meeting discussed several key issues related to shipping, logistics and obstacles with regard to establishing a competitive and world-class marine transport industry in the country. They also discussed issues related to the suspension of the import of bitumen by Hamad Port.
The newly-opened iconic Hamad Port has stopped importing bitumen since November 22 last year citing legal reasons that the product comes under special category which, according to Qatari law, requires to be imported through industrial ports or in covered containers.
The meeting, presided over by Ali bin Abdul Latif Al Misnad, member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Committee, discussed plans to reduce shipping charges and the ways to facilitate the delivery of incoming containers to ports.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry of Municipality, Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani Qatar) and the General Directorate of Traffic from the Ministry of Interior.
The meeting was also attended by representatives from a number of shipping and trade companies.
Captain Abdul Aziz Al Yafei, Director of Hamad Port, noted the port stopped importing bitumen due to the ability of industrial ports in the State to do so, such as the ports of Mesaieed and Ras Laffan. He then referred to Law No 30 of 2002 on the import of carbohydrates, which states that it is prohibited to import such materials except through industrial ports or through closed containers.
The committee agreed to consult with the concerned authorities to facilitate the procedures for the importation of that bitumen. The participants also agreed to hold a joint meeting with representatives of shipping companies and International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) to discuss the criteria for determining the prices of shipping services.
The Committee also addressed the issue of not accepting some of the companies’ invoices by the customs inspectors and imposing a fine on companies.
The Committee agreed to discuss them at the next meeting, with emphasis on the presence of a representative of the General Customs Authority. Procedures for facilitating the delivery of containers directly to the port were also discussed without reference to the industrial inspection area.
