GENEVA: The Sultanate’s ports have been ranked the world’s fastest in container ship handling per hour, according to UNCTAD annual index 2020 issued recently by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
Oman’s ports achieved an average of 12.5 hours for container handling including entry, exit and unloading operations.
The achievement came as translation of efforts made by Asyad Group and its partners in the public and the private sectors aimed at facilitating the procedures at port and the introduction of electronic systems and the best international practices in container handling in implementation of the National Logistics Strategy 2040 which targets to place the Sultanate as a global logistics hub by opening more direct shipping lines and building alliances with the international navigation companies to improve connectivity of the Sultanate’s ports.
According to the report, the Sultanate, Poland and UAE were the most effective in container ship handling and possess the largest share of transshipment.
The report said that the Sultanate has benefited from the digital procedures adopted prior to the outbreak of Covid-19 which allowed pre-custom clearance for trade operations, electronic provision of shipping data 24 hours prior to ship arrival as well as expansion of e-services for documentation and payment exchange.
The ranking of the Sultanate’s ports as the world’s fastest in container handling marks a significant international recognition of the status of Sultanate’s ports particularly that the UNCTAD index is considered the best internationally.
Asyad Group is endeavouring to link the Sultanate’s ports with the regional and international ports with the aim of supporting direct import helped by a promotional campaign by international shipping lines and the incentives offered by the Sultanate’s ports.
The group utilises the entire capacities of the Sultanate’s ports for serving traders, importers and exporters and providing maritime shipping solutions for cargo transport from the country of origin.
The customs clearance systems at the Sultanate’s ports strive to clear 90 per cent of cargo during the first hour from arrival at the port and 20 per cent of cargo while at sea. — ONA
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