Purposefully stationed at the center of the blooming Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Qatar’s maritime transportation industry has gone through remarkable transformational modifications and it has started to take off. Back to 2010, the government revealed a challenging six part plan to develop a brand new and contemporary port on the coast near to the capital of Doha.
Having a combined population of over 47 million and annual economic output topping $1.6 trillion (£1 trillion), the 6 GCC countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and also the UAE, encompass a solid block of open and integrated economic climates at a critical crossroads of the world wide economy, between Asia, Europe, Africa and even the Americas. In terms of universal trade, notably maritime shipping and delivery, the Middle East provides lucrative opportunities for companies that are able to take advantage of the region’s breakthrough as a international logistics centre. In 2014, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait positioned highest out of 45 growing markets countries inside the key group of “market compatibility,” highlighted by an ease of conducting business.
As the region has become a significantly fundamental point in world wide shipping and trade, Doha has set itself above and beyond other logistical hubs such as Dubai by simply investing greatly in efficient modern facilities. Qatar’s maritime ports are going through significant growth. National project expenses are likely to top $100 billion across infrastructure, real estate property along with other energy and non-energy industries within the subsequent decade, in accordance with investigation from the Investment Bank of Qatar.
The revolutionary port project alone makes up about $7.5 billion of that spending. At first aimed for completion in 2030, planners have sped up the schedule and provided the resources to remove 10 years off the construction time-line, accomplishing all six stages of the project over the following 5 years.
“By 2016 a state-of-the-art first class port will be finished,” claimed Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al Thani. “Qatar is providing what other GCC nations can't give since they do not have the assets to do so. The brand new port provides clients with readily accessible gas and electricity, personalized warehouses and distribution facilities, multi-purpose warehouses, third party logistics (3PL), a present day and high-tech data center, an enormous container yard, plus a transport service shop. In addition, they will also have refrigeration services, chilled services and also dry areas for all those items that need to steer clear of humidity.”
With the initial phase finished in 2016, the modern Port will consist of three terminals with an eventual combined yearly capacity greater than six million storage containers. The project won't just appeal to the expected boost in container traffic, but in addition deal with general shipment traffic, automobile imports, livestock imports, mass grain imports, overseas support vessels, coast guard vessels, and also a marine support unit. Follow-up tasks include high-value and sophisticated manufacturing amenities for the assembly and upkeep of overseas and land-based petrochemical constructions, and for the construction, repair and maintenance of high-value small, medium and big boats. The port plan envisages a hub for maintenance, conversion and development of all types of projects, including tugs and workboats, military ships and high-value small ships for instance private yachts, to the biggest vessels across the world.
All this comes in addition to the state-of-the-art shipyard which has previously been built by Nakilat - Qatar’s state owned transportation business that operates and manages vessels along with offers 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 entire maritime sector in the country.
“It is a $2.8 billion state-of-the-art center for ship building and maintenance, and the global network has given it a very good assessment with regard to invention and level of quality,” explained Abdullah Al Sulaiti. “Now we have the capability in Qatar to produce a wide range of boats, either industrial or commercial, when I talk about ‘commercial’ I mean high end luxury yachts. In fact, we are at the moment making two 72 meter luxurious yachts; the first will be delivered at the end of next year. It's a major moment for Qatar’s very young ship building industry and to see such capability available in the country in this short time makes me extremely proud of what is being reached.”
Together with the world-class shipyard already operational at the Port of Ras Laffan combined with planned developments in Doha, Al Thani states that when all assignments are accomplished, several other regional shipping and logistics players won’t have the ability to deal with Qatar.
“Dubai, by way of example, won't be able to compete with this level of service in supplying such a facility. Qatar is climbing up that marine shipping direction. We'll continue to be a very good player and in the future we will exceed them.”
Wishing to bring in yet further worldwide financial commitment, the government has planned a specific economic sector alongside the modern port in Doha. The Qatar Economic Zone 3 (QEZ3), is going to be a self-contained development with commercial and residential conveniences and creating a critical link in the country’s strategic fiscal targets. The QEZ3 will even serve as a shipping and trade portal in to Qatar and offer financial hub around the Port for manufacturing, logistics and commerce across several industrial areas, creating import as well as export synergy.
What’s more, the Doha port venture dovetails with Qatar’s breakthrough as the world’s leading producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Within just 20 years, Qatar has altered itself into the world’s leading distributor of LNG, producing around a third of intercontinental commerce.
