The hydrographic survey by the Ministry of Transport (MoT) will enhance the safety and protect navigation and the marine environment, a senior official has said. Ibrahim al-Kuwari, director of the Office of the Assistant Undersecretary for Maritime Transport Affairs, while talking to Qatar TV, said the survey helps the traffic avoid places where navigation is prohibited and shipwrecks in Qatari waters.
“The survey serves as a guide to help marine traffic in Qatar in line with the economic growth and development requirements pursued by Qatar,” he said. It aims to update navigational charts, regulate the movement of ships through the passages and establish a marine traffic division system to regulate the entry and exit of ships through the specified sea passages.
This will be achieved according to the specifications and requirements of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), and the International Organisation for Hydrographic Survey (IHO) while meeting the requirements stipulated in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
The survey, according to al-Kuwari, include identifying areas for throwing anchors in the country, the locations of shipwrecks in Qatari waters, and placing appropriate navigational signs for them and updating Qatari maritime maps. The 5-phase project also includes suggesting vessel holding areas, providing a dedicated navigational marking system and siting navigational marks for locations of reserves.
The project will also put together a programme to regularly examine the navigational signs, using eco-friendly technologies such as batteries and solar panels, to achieve better lighting. The programme also includes determining the additional dimensions that navigational markers should capture to fulfill the work needs to ensure safe navigation such as sight.
The project is especially important for enhancing and protecting the marine environment in step with Qatar’s economic growth and development requirements, using the latest eco-friendly, surveillance, and marking systems in line with the goals of the Third Qatar National Development Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030.
The ministry will train its employees concerned with navigational aid services in line with the requirements of the International Organisation for Marine Aids to Navigation. The project is aligned with the action plans of the National Strategy for Logistic Services Sector (transportation and warehousing sector) 2024-2030 that aims at solidifying Qatar’s position as a global logistics hub, supporting economic diversification and enabling traders and investors with less time and cost.
