The soon-to-be-opened Ruwais Port Market will not only offer a space for shopping diverse and authentic foreign products, but will emerge as an ideal outlet for the country’s fast-growing local product sector.
As thousands of visitors tour around the market everyday searching for antiques,souvenirs and traditional products, the market will be an ideal spot to showcase local products as well. The market will also help reduce the prices of goods as import, export and re-export will become much easier, said a prominent Qatari businessman who owns a chain of retail outlets across the country.
Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani Qatar) recently announced it is overseeing the development of a port market and port expansion project at the Ruwais Port in the northern region of country, which is scheduled to open by the end of this year. The market being developed adjacent to the Ruwais Port will enable customers to buy a wide range of international products from commercial ships calling at port.
Ali Hasan Al Khalaf (pictured), Chairman of Qatar Consumer Complexes (QCC), said: “Port market is a very good initiative… We have had similar market at Doha Port earlier where many goods from neighbouring countries such as Iran were traded without much hassle.”
Al Khalaf, speaking to The Peninsula, added: “The market located closed to the port will be very good both for local products as well as imported goods, which will allow local customers as well as traders from neighbouring counties to buy quality products at reasonable prices avoiding custom duties and many other formalities.”
He noted that the port market can also help boost the re-exporting of processed and semi-processed goods to other countries in the region and beyond in a very effective and cost efficient manner.
Al Khalaf also noted that blockade has not caused much impact to the retail market, in fact it has created more opportunities for businesses and trader to expand their operations and become self reliant.
“Many retail companies, including QCC, are expanding operations. We at QCC are renovating and further expanding our facilities, including retail space, cold storage and warehousing capacities. We are also acquiring more movable assets such as chillers and refrigerated vehicles to ensure the faster and effective delivery of goods across the country,” said Al Khalaf who has a wide range of business interest in different sectors of the economy.
He stressed that with the start of direct shipping lines from Hamad Port to many countries, such as India, Pakistan and Turkey, and others, will help boost the volume of trade exchange, which will eventually have positive impact in the prices of goods. However, he also suggested that the logistics facilities and other marine transport related services need to be improved further to bring them at par with those existing for the transportation of oil, gas, chemicals and petrochemicals related products that we export to many countries, especially to Asia.
The Ruwais port market project, which is presently under construction, will be handed over to traders later this year.
The market is part of the next phase of Ruwais Port development, which aims to establish the Port as the northern gateway to commercial trade in Qatar.
Ruwais Port is strategically located in the centre of the Arabian Gulf hence receives a wide range of commercial ships.
The second phase of the three phase port development project, which is presently underway, includes the establishment of the regional commercial market. It is expected to serve the commercial needs of the northern side of Qatar.
In the first phase, the market will be established across an area of 6,700 square metres (sqm). In the last phase it will occupy an additional 3,200sqm.
