Santos: Exploring economic opportunities. PICTURE: Jayan Orma.
Hamad Port’s first vessel, heavy load carrier Zhen Hua 10, shortly after arriving at the new port at Umm Alhoul in Mesaieed (file). PICTURE: Jayaram.

By Peter Alagos
Business Reporter


The expected operations of the Hamad Port could open economic opportunities to Philippine port management company, International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI), Ambassador Wilfredo Santos said.
The ambassador said ICTSI is currently pursuing an active programme to acquire new terminal concessions in the Middle East, “and we are hoping that Qatar could be one of them.”
“We have conveyed to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) the possibility of inviting the International Container Terminal Services Inc, a Philippine-based company involved in the business of acquiring, developing, managing, and operating container ports and terminals worldwide, to explore economic opportunities presented by the expected opening of the Hamad Port,” Santos told Gulf Times.
Established by Filipino businessman Enrique K Razon, ICTSI operates the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT). Named “third richest man in the Philippines” by Forbes magazine in February 2015, Razon has served as ICTSI’s director since December 1987 and chairman since 1995.
First secretary and consul Gonaranao Musor added: “Since ICTSI is also exploring opportunities in the Middle East, we’re hoping that the embassy could help in facilitating a future partnership between the two entities, in light of the upcoming operations of the Hamad Port.
“To support Ambassador Santos’ thrust to revitalise economic and trade relations between Qatar and the Philippines, we are constantly on the lookout for these types of opportunities. Any related information is sent to the DFA, which will be the one to transmit it to the potential investor,” he added.
Asked what would be the economic impact of the full operations of the Hamad Port on exports of Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines, Santos said: “This will definitely make transport of Philippine exports to Qatar much faster and consequently, transportation costs could be lessened as these exports no longer need to pass through a third country like the UAE (via Dubai). “With this development, we hope that this will entice Philippine exporters to further explore the Qatar market for other products.”
This was reiterated by Thailand Ambassador Piroon Laismit, who said Qatar can engage in direct trade with any country thus, enhancing further Qatar’s import and export activities.
“At the same time, bilateral trade between member countries of the Asean Committee in Doha (ACD) will grow further…With the upcoming operations of the Hamad Port, we will be able to know exactly the amount of goods being imported to Qatar, and operations will be cost efficient as these goods will be brought directly to the country.
“The Hamad Port will make this country more competitive, creating a big impact for Qatar and other trading countries in terms of economic co-operation,” Laismit said.