Transport
From The Report: Qatar 2015
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Rapid population growth and a fast growing economy are putting high demand on Qatar’s transport sector. However, several mega projects envisioned in Qatar National Vision 2030, along with infrastructure upgrades being implemented as Qatar gears up to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, are expected to ease this pressure moving forward. Indeed, in September 2014 the minister of transport announced the government would be investing $140bn in transport infrastructure over the next five years. Meanwhile, Hamad International Airport opened in May 2014, with the new airport’s capacity reaching 36m passengers per year, and Doha Port has undergone several expansions and now comprises nine quays and two container berths. Plans for three interlinking railway services across the country are also in the pipeline, and an estimated 240 major interchanges, ranging from conventional traffic lights to junctions with tunnels and flyovers are set to be constructed as part of the state’s expressway programme.

This chapter contains an interview with Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Upgrades to Qatar’s transport infrastructure kick off
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Rapid population growth and economic expansion in the past decade have put unprecedented levels of demand on Qatar’s transportation network. Although the highly anticipated opening of the new Hamad International Airport (HIA) in May 2014 relieved some of this pressure, further developments will be needed as the state prepares to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in less than seven years. Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030) has already seen the launch of several transport mega-projects, including…

Interview

Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport: Interview
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Interview:Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti What measures is the ministry pursuing to increase existing capacity and improve storage capabilities at Qatar’s seaports? JASSIM SAIF AHMED AL SULAITI: The Ministry of Transport and Qatar Ports Management Company have coordinated a number of improvements for the import of goods at Doha Port that have increased throughput at existing facilities. These will be further augmented with the opening in January 2016 of a new port in Al Ruwais that will cater…

Analysis

Road and rail projects increase connectivity in Qatar and the region
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As it moves forward on major transportation and infrastructure projects mandated by Qatar National Vision 2030, the state is seeking to boost domestic and regional connectivity, enhance links to major residential and transport hubs within Qatar, and boost the flow of goods and services to the wider GCC. While road upgrades represent the most important facet through which to boost intra-regional trade, cross-border flows will receive their most substantial support via the state’s planned…

Analysis

New logistics facilities being built in Qatar
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With billions invested in new transportation infrastructure and a host of mega-projects necessitating huge movements of goods and people, Qatar’s logistics sector is growing rapidly. The sector is expected to maintain a strong upward trajectory in the coming years as the state recently established new warehousing and logistics facilities for a growing portfolio of businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). An in-depth Arabian Business report from September 2013 identified…

Analysis

Qatar’s commitment to renewables includes connecting solar power to railways
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Under the aegis of Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030), the government has pledged to generate 2% of energy needs via renewable sources by 2020, with innovation and proposed projects extending all the way to the expansive Qatar Rail Development Programme (QDRP), a multibillion-dollar effort comprising construction of a light rail transit (LRT) system in Lusail City, the Doha Metro, and a long-distance passenger and freight railway network, connected to the wider GCC railway via Saudi Arabia…