Work in full swing to complete fishing ports expansion

* Largest project to develop fishing ports in Qatar to see the light of day soon as the completion rate reaches 100% at facilities in Al Khor, Al Wakra and Al Thakhira, and about 95% in Al RuwaisWork is in full swing to complete the largest expansion project for fishing ports in Qatar, which involves the development of fishing ports in Al Wakra, Al Khor, Al Ruwais as well as a fishermen's terminal in Al Thakhira, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) has said.The project is expected to be completed soon and the marine parking lots for fishing boats and ships will become operational within the next three months along with the attached services and facilities, according to a statement by the MME yesterday.Abdulaziz Mohamed al-Dehaimi, director of the Fisheries Department at the MME, said the project will contribute towards improving the productivity of fishing vessels and maintaining the quality of fish and fish products.He stressed that fishing ports and the services and equipment attached to them are considered among the most important services needed by fishermen and fishing boats to do their work in appropriate conditions.The official informed that development works under this project have made major progress, with the completion rate reaching 100% at the facilities in Al Khor, Al Wakra and Al Thakhira, and around 95% in Al Ruwais.Al-Dehaimi explained that this development project is considered among the most important national projects and programmes within the 2nd national development strategy, 2018- 2022. The project was launched at the start of 2019 and is being implemented by UrbaCon Trading & Contracting Company under the supervision of Mwani Qatar.The development works include the creation of floating berths for fishing vessels to meet their needs with an adequate number of marine parking lots to find an appropriate solution to the issue of overcrowding of ships and boats in fishing ports.The project also includes equipping the ports with early warning and fire alarm and firefighting systems, CCTV surveillance systems, refuelling stations, platforms for launching boats into the sea, administrative offices offering services to the public and fishermen, in addition to other necessary services, the statement points out.Al-Dehaimi said the project includes the establishment of 69 marine mooring lots for boats and three for surveillance vessels in Al Thakhira, 208 mooring lots in Al Khor, 368 in Al Wakra and 233 in Al Ruwais.Given the importance of the project in developing the fisheries sector and related services, HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Dr Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Subaie, conducted a field tour of the project on August 26. He inspected the progress of the ongoing expansion and development works at the fishing ports, and was accompanied by Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani, Assistant Undersecretary for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs, MME, as well as a number of departmental directors from the ministry.