AMMAN— Unionists and traders in the
clearance and transport sector have ruled out any shortages in imported goods
coming to Jordan through the port of Aqaba, citing indications that the
maritime navigation situation in the region is not deteriorating, as per
Al-Ghad. They unanimously agreed that the ‘gradual return to regular maritime
shipping’ confirms the possibility of a continuous smooth flow of goods and the
absence of disruptions in
supply chains unless new security events occur in the
Red Sea region.
اضافة اعلان
Experts confirmed that there are multiple
solutions concerning maritime routes to ensure the uninterrupted flow of goods
to Jordan. They anticipate an increase in the prices of certain goods due to
rising shipping and insurance costs, along with delays in deliveries caused by
the adoption of alternative routes through the
Bab el-Mandeb strait.
They also confirmed signs of a
breakthrough in the international navigation crisis in the coming period. This
includes both a gradual return to regularity and the formation of coalitions
among shipping lines arriving at the port of Aqaba, aiming to provide larger
services to feeder vessels. Additionally, there is an expectation of receiving
a larger number of containers based on shipping lines' estimates and the
records of the
Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT).
They appreciated the government's
decision to maintain shipping costs at pre-October 7, 2023 levels for customs
calculation purposes, which helps alleviate price increases for consumers.
Moreover, they highlighted the ongoing
meetings of the involved parties, represented by the government through the
Ministries of Transport, Industry and Trade,
Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Representatives of Transport and Clearance Companies, and all relevant
stakeholders.
First Vice Chairman and Representative of
Services and Consultancy sector in Amman Chamber of Commerce, Jamal Al-Rifai
Jamal Al-Rifai stated that one of the proposed options includes unloading goods
at the ports of Salalah and Jebel Ali, then transporting containers via feeder
ships or overland to Aqaba.
Rifai believes that the maritime crisis
in the Red Sea has prolonged the arrival time of goods and escalated shipping
costs, although the situation has improved compared to the initial stages of
the crisis, with shipping costs experiencing a recent decrease.
Furthermore, the Head of the Jordanian
Logistics Union, Nabil Al-Khatib explained that shipments from Southeast Asia,
India, and the Far East will be offloaded at Mediterranean ports in Italy,
Morocco, or in Damietta and Port Said in Egypt. They will then be conveyed via
feeder ships to Aqaba or to Jeddah port and subsequently to Aqaba, incurring
extra expenses and prolonging goods arrival by an additional four to five
weeks. As for shipments from Europe and America, they will resort to
Mediterranean ports to bypass the Suez Canal due to cost considerations. Goods
will be discharged at these ports and subsequently transported via feeder
ships.
Additionally, on Wednesday, Minister of
Transport, Wesam Tahtamouni chaired a meeting to discuss the latest
developments in maritime traffic to and from Aqaba and the resulting effects on
economic sectors due to the international shipping crisis.
In a statement issued by the ministry,
the meeting concluded with all participants agreeing to maintain coordination
among all stakeholders to identify obstacles and offer suitable solutions to
address the various issues and complaints raised by industrial and commercial
sectors due to the repercussions of this crisis.
In a related development, during a second
meeting on Sunday between the Jordanian and Omani Chambers of Commerce, the
Jordanian Maritime Transport Association, and the Jordanian Logistics
Syndicate, they confirmed positive signs of container arrivals at the Port of
Aqaba.
The team highlighted that several ships
are set to arrive at the Port of Aqaba in the coming days to unload their
cargo, with an estimated 5,000 containers loaded with various goods expected to
be unloaded. In addition, they affirmed that February will see the arrival of
numerous medium and large-sized ships at the Port of Aqaba, loaded with
containers, and these ships will also load containers prepared for export.
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