Muscat: Oman’s recent operationalisation of its membership of TIR — the global transit system — has been lauded by IRU, the world’s road transport organisation representing bus, coach, truck and taxi operators globally.
TIR — a global treaty — enables goods to be shipped from a country of origin, through transit countries, to a country of destination in sealed load compartments that are controlled by customs via a multilateral, mutually recognised system. It is the easiest, safest and most reliable way to move goods across multiple international borders, saving time and money for transport operators and customs authorities.
“Oman is the latest country in the Gulf region to become TIR operational, unlocking its regional and international trade potential,” said IRU in a statement applauding the Sultanate’s landmark decision to operationalise its commitments under the TIR convention.
The timely activation of the convention, coming against the backdrop of a 19 per cent decline in turnover for operators across the Middle East — stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic — is opportune for Omani road freight operators, it said.
“TIR answers this need by eliminating any additional customs guarantees in transit countries, speeding up border crossing procedures and reducing operating costs for businesses,” the global body noted.
The Sultanate had committed to becoming TIR operational at the 2018 IRU World Congress held in Muscat. Since then, IRU, Oman Customs and IRU members Asyad and Sinyar have collaborated closely to successfully implement TIR in Oman, according to IRU.
“With dedicated TIR lanes in place between Oman and the UAE and existing trade links with other TIR operational countries including India, Pakistan and China, Oman can take advantage of faster and more secure transit in the region and beyond,” it said.
According to IRU, the first TIR transport between Saudi Arabia and the UAE crossed the border in just four hours instead of the usual two days, which exemplifies the kind of benefits TIR can bring to the region.
“As the next step, Oman has shown a strong interest in introducing eTIR as soon as possible. The paperless solution will further speed up customs procedures and reduce the need for human contact at borders, enabling operators to comply with COVID-19 containment measures,” it added.
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