Bolstered with the robust demand for logistics services and related facilities in the country, Economic Zones Company-Qatar (Manateq), has decided to expand the Birkat Al Awamer Logistics Park area from the second quarter of next year, revealed top official of the state-backed company.
Birkat Al Awamer Logistics Park, located in Al Wakra area, is ideal for companies that seek to build their own facility, with the option to build their own showrooms, offices, and worker accommodation in the plot. Offering plots vary in size starting from 1000 square metres (sqm). With an area of 9,381,885 sqm, Birkat Al Awamer is in close proximity to gateways such as Hamad Port, and Um Alhoul Free Zone.
The logistics park has been designed for the establishment of modern warehouse and workshops facilities to serve the local market for long-term lease period of 25 years.
“The infrastructure development in most of our logistics parks in Al Wakra (A & B) is fully complete. Most investors are already operating, and there are some which are under construction,” Fahad Rashid Al Kaabi, CEO of Manateq (pictured), told The Peninsula recently.
Al Kaabi added: “Infrastructure development in the Jery Al Samur Logistics Park is also 100 percent complete. As far as Birkat Al Awamer Logistics Park is concerned, it is also 100 percent complete, but we are having new phases of development, which will start from the second quarter of next year (Q2 2020). The area of Birkat Al Awamer is very huge it is perfectly located, and based on the strong demand, we are expanding it.”
He also said that Manateq, as part of its revised strategy, is working to have different solutions, which include providing land to investors who can develop it on their own, and there are other options also for the investors who can come and take ready to move warehousing facilities, which were earlier developed by the government on its own, on rent and start the business.
He noted that now the government, instead of developing the ready to use warehouses on its own, is now focusing on public-private-partnership model, and inviting potential and capable investors through open tender to develop them and run on PPP model.
“As part of our new strategy now we are giving it to the private sector. Whichever company, with considerable expertise, experience and financial capabilities, offers the most competitive prices for developing and operating such facilities we are awarding the contracts on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis,” Al Kaabi noted.
He reiterated that the development of the logistics and warehousing facilities is the responsibility of the investors, and certain percentage of the facilities has been developed and the remaining areas are still in the process of being developed.
He also said that Qatar’s logistics sector is continuing to expand and grow in a big way with the development of new facilities, including new ports and other big projects. And new port facilities also require further development and focus on strengthening warehousing facilities, logistics and traders to enable Qatar to be a regional hub.
Commenting about other projects Al Kaabi said: “We are also responsible for developing and handing over projects for free zones, which is also expected to be finished by the second quarter of 2020 based on Free Zones Authority’s requirements.
“The logistics sector is continuing to expand and grow in a big way. Qatar is focusing on developing the needful infrastructure and facilities to support the massive port development. And I am sure Qatar will become the hub of logistics in the near future,” he added.
“Earlier we awarded four projects with the combined area of about two square kilometers (each with an area of 500,000 sqm). The latest project that we awarded to GWC is three times of that (1500,000sqm, or 1.5sqkm). I am optimistic that this is going to be a great hub for logistics in the coming years.”
Asked if the Manateq considering to award similar logistics park development project in the immediate future, he said that as of now Manateq has no plans in this regard, as it would like to wait and watch the market demand and focus on infrastructure development on other.
