Doha: Minister of Transport and Communications H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti yesterday inaugurated the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) mandatory audit session.
Minister of Municipality and Environment H E Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi, Public Security Director-General and Chairman of Permanent Emergency Committee Staff Major General Saad bin Jassim Al Khulaifi, senior officers from the Qatari Emiri Armed Forced and the Ministry of Interior and officials from the maritime sector, Mwani Qatar and Qatar Petroleum were present.
“The maritime transportation sector in Qatar has seen a remarkable boom at all levels, particularly in terms of ports, shipbuilding and dry docks, in accordance with international standards concerned with people’s safety at sea, marine environment protection and maritime security,” Al Sulaiti said.
He said his ministry pays attention to providing the ports with state-of-the-art stevedoring equipment and capacities to raise the country’s profile to become an economic navigational power.
The Minister thanked the international auditing team and said the ministry and other relevant entities observing IMO agreements will extend all support and assistance to Dan Sarenius leading the audit team and his assistants George Dimitriadis and Rifaat Arminius to render their mission successful. “The goal behind the mandatory audit is to check to what extent Qatar enforces IMO conventions applied in the member states by reviewing and assessing the level of compliance with audit requirements,” said Nasser Misaad Qadar, Director, Marine Transport Planning and Licensing Department at the ministry.
Among top requirements is the presence of national regulations such as decrees and laws that reflect the positive response to international conventions related to maritime safety and marine environment protection, in addition to effective enforcement of international conventions by the ministry’s Marine Authority through drawing the maritime transport sector’s strategic and executive strategies and policies.
Among other commitments, he added, are those related to the ministry, Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Ports Management Company, Civil Aviation Authority, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Doha Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and all parties committed with us to fulfilling international audit conventions.
Qadar said the ministry and all participating entities will work to achieve a successful mandatory audit to be added to the register of our country at international platforms.
Sarenius said, “Qatar’s commitment to arranging for mandatory audit sessions for IMO member states is very unique and comfortable for the auditing team.” He said the audit sessions would continue for seven days and wrap up with recommendations and proposals.
The IMO’s primary purpose is to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping and its remit includes safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping.The Peninsula
