The single window customs clearance service ‘Al Nadeeb’, introduced by the General Authority of Customs (GAC), has attained 400% increase in number of containers cleared each day. Once fully established by July, all the ministries and other allied organisations will be linked to the online system, without any human interference in the clearance procedures.
“Clearance of containers raised from 200 containers per day to some 1,000, with the Al Nadeeb service. The system has eased and sped up the custom procedures significantly,” said Abdul Hadi Hasan Al Sahli, Director of Sea Customs Department at Qatar’s General Authority of Customs (GAC).
“The system is being upgraded. By July, electronic link between GAC and all ministries and other organisations concerned with customs will be established. Hamad Port will be fully functional in July, so that some of the issues face by a few companies now, will be resolved,” said Al Sahli in a statement.
The electronic link will have a lot of salient features easing custom clearance, enhancing coordination and cooperation with the partners. The link will help process the customs declaration within few minutes if there is no restriction on the goods.
Al Nadeeb is an advanced system for customs clearance, initially used only for customs programmes. Later within an year it was connected with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, Ministry of Transport and Communications and Ministry of Public Health.
The declaration submitted by the clearance agent went to aforementioned ministries, who then take decision about releasing the consignment immediately or after putting some restrictions.
“Al Nadeeb has now eased and sped up the procedures of custom clearance to be done in record time. The system allows customers and traders, who are even abroad to submit custom declaration from their offices online,” he said.
Once the electronic link is set up completely, the custom declaration could be released within a minute if the goods are not restricted.
The electronic link with Al Milaha (Qatar Navigation) is expected to be completed in July. Following this, custom clearance will witness unprecedented growth with no human interference in customs procedures.
The latest technologies and machines have been installed at all ports. The sea customs department is currently providing its services at Hamad Port. The department is also providing services at Al Ruwais Port where commercial ships coming from Iran and Somalia are anchored.
The port also receives ships carrying gabbro. The department is also dealing with Lafan Port that receives industrial ships and also with Messaid port.
The Doha Port has been turned into tourist port to receive tourist ships only. Doha Port is slated to be closed from March 31 for development and upgrading. Then it will be reopened to receive giant tourist ships.
