Qatar says no concerns about shortages as Iran war disrupts supply chains

Qatar says that its supply chains have not been affected by the US-Israeli war on Iran, and the government is not concerned about shortages of goods.

Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Jamal, chairman of Qatar’s General Authority of Customs, told Al Jazeera that the country's diverse transport routes and strategic supplies.

Digital customs systems have also ensured the Gulf state can weather the storm, as attacks on shipping in the Gulf and an effective Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continue.

"There are no indicators that call for concern over shortages of goods or disturbances to supply chains inside the State of Qatar," Al-Jamal told the broadcaster.

One reason for Qatar's resilience in ensuring supplies continue to reach the country is its Al-Nadeeb electronic customs clearance platform, which has streamlined import procedures.

Customs have been working around the clock to ensure continued trade with fast-track procedures in place for the import of essential commodities such as food.

In addition to strong coordination between different government agencies and the private sector in the country, Qatar is also working closely with its GCC partners to facilitate trade, including special procedures to ensure easy movement of goods.

Hamad Port's integrated logistics system has ensured diversified transport routes by land, sea, and air for extra flexibility during these uncertain times.

On land, the Abu Samra crossing with Saudi Arabia has also benefited from recent investments in infrastructure, customs and security systems, to speed up checks at the border, including the Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR), which has eased the entry of goods.

Gulf states have shown increased flexibility during the Iran war, to ensure supplies reach the countries and exports of gas and oil continue.

Saudi Arabia is becoming an important entry point for medicines for GCC states, which have faced some disruptions due to attacks by Iran on ports and missiles entering Gulf airspace.

This includes 'cold corridors' for perishable drugs that need constant refrigeration, and prioritising the import and export of drugs for essential treatments such as cancer medicine.

Oman has also opened a 'green corridor' with the UAE from Salalah, outside the Strait of Hormuz, to Dubai, due to the tensions in the Gulf waterway.

Iranian attacks on shipping, notably tankers, have caused some disruptions in sea-based trade in the Gulf, but Tehran is beginning to allow some vessels to use the Strait of Hormuz unimpeded, including from Pakistan and China.