Intentionally based at the center of the blooming Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, Qatar’s maritime shipping and delivery trade has undergone incredible transformational changes and has begun to take off. Back in 2010, the government announced a hopeful six-stage plan to construct a totally new and contemporary port on the coastline near the capital of Doha.
Having a combined population well over 47 million not to mention annual financial output at the top of $1.6 trillion (£1 trillion), the six GCC countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia plus the United Arab Emirates, make up a robust block of open and integrated financial systems at a critical crossroads of the world wide economy, in between Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. With regard to overseas trade, specifically maritime shipping and delivery, the Middle East offers highly profitable opportunities for businesses that can make use of the region’s emergence as a multinational logistics centre. In 2014, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait placed highest out of 45 promising markets nations inside the key category of “market compatibility,” highlighted by an ease of doing business.
As the region has become an extremely vital part of overseas shipping and trade, Doha has set itself apart from several other logistic hubs like Dubai simply by investing seriously in efficient modern facilities. Qatar’s maritime ports are going through substantial expansion. National project expenses are anticipated to top $100 billion across infrastructure, real estate investment as well as other energy and non-energy sectors during the subsequent decade, reported by research from the Investment Bank of Qatar.
The revolutionary port project alone accounts for $7.5 billion of that spending. Initially aimed for completion in 2030, planners have sped up the time-line and offered the resources to slice 10 years off the building timeline, completing all 6 stages of the task in the next five-years.
“By 2016 a state-of-the-art first class port will be accomplished,” claimed Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al Thani. “Qatar is offering what other GCC nations can not give simply because lack the sources to do so. The newest port will provide clientele with easily obtainable gas and electricity, customizable warehouses and distribution centers, multi-purpose warehouses, third party logistics (3PL), a present day and high-tech data center, a large container yard, plus a transport service store. Furthermore, they will also have refrigeration services, chilled services not to mention dry spots for those products needing to avoid moisture.”
With the initial stage finished in 2016, the revolutionary Port will comprise three terminals with an eventual combined annual capacity more than six million storage containers. The project doesn't just cater to the predicted growth in container traffic, but in addition have capacity for general freight traffic, vehicle imports, livestock imports, mass grain imports, offshore support vessels, coast guard ships, plus a marine support unit. Follow-up assignments include high-value and state-of-the-art production facilities for the manufacture and upkeep of offshore and land-based petrochemical structures, and for the construction, repair and maintenance of high-value small, moderate and larger boats. The port plan envisages a hub for repair, conversion and construction of all types of projects, including tugs and workboats, military ships and high-value modest ships including yachts, up to the greatest vessels across the world.
All of this comes in addition to the state-of-the-art shipyard which has recently been constructed by Nakilat - Qatar’s state owned transportation firm which operates and handles vessels as well as delivers shipping and marine-related services. The Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard in the Port of Ras Laffan was launched in 2010, marking a milestone not just for Nakilat, but for the whole maritime field in the country.
“It is a $2.8 billion state-of-the-art center for ship building and repair, and the global community has given it a solid evaluation with regard to originality and level of quality,” described Abdullah Al Sulaiti. “Now we have the capability in Qatar to produce a variety of ships, either industrial or commercial, and when I say ‘commercial’ I mean top of the range luxurious yachts. In fact, we are at the moment building a pair of 72 meter luxurious yachts; the first one is going to be sent by the end of next year. It's a huge moment for Qatar’s very young ship building market and to discover such capability available in the country in this short period of time makes me really proud of what's being reached.”
Together with the world-class shipyard already operational at the Port of Ras Laffan combined with the planned developments in Doha, Al Thani claims that when all assignments are concluded, additional regional shipping and logistics players won’t have the ability to deal with Qatar.
“Dubai, for example, won't be able to contend with this level of service in offering such a facility. Qatar is climbing up that marine shipping direction. We will remain a strong player and in the future we will exceed them.”
Wishing to bring in yet further international financial investment, the federal government has prepared a specific economic area next to the newest port in Doha. The Qatar Economic Zone 3 (QEZ3), is a self-contained development with business and residential conveniences and building a vital link inside the country’s strategic financial plans. The QEZ3 will serve as a transportation and trade entrance in to Qatar and provide financial hub around the Port for manufacturing, logistics and commerce throughout a number of industrial sectors, establishing import along with export synergy.
What’s more, the Doha port project dovetails with Qatar’s emergence as the world’s greatest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Inside of 20 years, Qatar has converted itself into the world’s major supplier of LNG, supplying approximately a third of all intercontinental commerce.