Doha, Qatar: The Director of the Land Customs Department at the General Authority of Customs, Yousef Al Hammadi said that land customs provide all facilities to suppliers and traders, noting that all customs initiatives, including the economic operator and the TIR System, aim to facilitate the movement of trade in the country.
This came during his address to the Qatar Chamber's Services Committee's virtual meeting held on Wednesday, chaired by Qatar Chamber Board Member and Services Committee Chairman Eng. Ali bin Abdullatif Al Misnad.
The webinar was attended by representatives from several entities, including the Ministry of Transport, the General Authority of Customs, Mwani Qatar, Qatar Airways, in addition to more than 30 companies operating in the transportation and logistics sector in the country.
During the event, participants reviewed the key challenges facing the services sector under the current circumstances, particularly those related to transportation and freight, and discussed ways to address them.
The meeting reviewed the status of land, air, and sea cargo and supply chains, and discussed private sector proposals to address recent challenges facing transportation, logistics, and shipping companies.
In his remarks, Al Misnad stressed that the Qatar Chamber is interested to identify all challenges facing shipping and transport companies under the current circumstances and to coordinate with the relevant authorities to address obstacles affecting the supply of goods and merchandise to the country.
Eng. Al Misnad announced the launch of an initiative by the Chamber, involving the formation of an internal working group that will operate around the clock, in addition to a dedicated hotline to receive reports on challenges facing the transportation and logistics sector.
He noted that the team will study these issues and refer them to the relevant authorities to find appropriate solutions, in a way that responds to current circumstances and safeguards the continued flow of goods and enhances commercial transportation in the country.
For his part, Director of the Air Cargo Department at the General Authority of Customs Yousef Al Nuaimi said that land cargo is currently being relied upon through transit operations or the TIR System via the land port with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Qatar Airways Cargo representative Ehab Matta said that movement at Hamad International Airport is relatively limited, noting that Qatar Airways is keen to ensure the rapid delivery of food and medical supplies to the country. He also pointed out that, in cooperation with Hassad Food, some food supplies are being imported.
For his part, Director of the Land Transport Licensing Department at the Ministry of Transport, Hamad Al Marri said that the Ministry, as a member of the Logistics Support Committee, has recently met with shipping companies to discuss the issues they face, which include empty trucks entering neighboring countries, extending the operational life of trucks, and facilitating the issuance of entry licenses for drivers and vehicles.
During the webinar, participants introduced a number of proposals, including allowing all trucks registered in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to operate freely within any Gulf state, and establishing a hotline between ports and shipping companies to facilitate procedures.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Al Misnad thanked all participants for their continued support, noting that the committee will continue its work and hold future meetings whenever necessary.
