A coordination meeting between the Ministry of Transportation’s Ports and Maritime Affairs (PMA) and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry was held at the PMA’s offices.
The meeting was led by Hassan Ali Al-Majid, Director Genreal for Ports and Maritime Affairs, and Abdul Hakeem Ibrahim Al-Shemmeri, Member of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Head of the Chamber’s Transportation and Communications Committee. The meeting was attended by a number of senior officials from both sides, in addition to representatives from customs clearance agencies and a representative from APM Terminals Bahrain, the Khalifa Bin Salman Port operator. The purpose of the meeting was to increase coordination and strengthen cooperation between the concerned parties, especially with respect to development and smooth operation of Khalifa bin Salman Port and elimination of possible difficulties that may stand in the way.
At the outset of the meeting, the representatives of the Ministry’s Ports and Maritime Affairs made a detailed presentation of the work in progress at Khalifa Bin Salman Port, giving available statistics and information on the various activities and functions undertaken by the Port, in addition to the performance indicators of such activities and functions based on the provisions of the concession agreement signed between the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the port operator. The presentation also provided an overview on PMA’s regulatory and supervisory role and its responsibility in ensuring that the port operator is adhering to the concession agreement’s terms as well as a clarification on the fees levied by the port operator for its services. The meeting also discussed some of the procedures that are causing confusion and disarray during the clearance and handling processes and recommended means to resolve them to ensure smooth operations and enable stakeholders to benefit from the services.
The officials of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed their thanks and appreciation to the Ministry, represented by the Ports and Maritime Affairs, for all the services and facilities extended by it and the port operator. The Chamber’s representatives also addressed some ideas and scenarios that are likely to help in providing more facilities and services to the merchants who deal with the PMA and the operator, in addition to ensuring the continuous development of the competitive services offered by the Port.
The representatives of the Ministry, the port operator and the customs clearance agents expressed their willingness to cooperate with the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry in order to promote these services and extend all possible facilities intended to boost and enhance Bahrain as a business hub and that would make Khalifa Bin Salman Port the port of preference for its customers, especially for transit goods destined to the northern ports of the Arabian Gulf region.
At the end of the meeting, the representatives of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry agreed to hold similar fruitful meetings on an as needed basis.