News | Ministry of Transport

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The Minister launches new maritime transport e-services

Doha - QatarHE Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications (MoTC) launched 21 new electronic services to serve the maritime transport sector, particularly large vessels with a capacity of more than 200 tons, on the sidelines of the Qatar Information Technology and Communication Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM 2019), to be held until November 1st at the Qatar National Convention Center.HE Akbar Al Baker CEO of Qatar Airways and Secretary-General of Qatar National Tourism Council attended the launch ceremony.The new services, which are in addition to the 25 services launched in early 2019 serving small and large vessels, aim to develop the maritime transport sector. They are also designed to facilitate operations and procedures and keep pace with technological advancements through the automation of all ships services.All new services will be made available on the ministry's portal, while the ministry's mobile app will offer only 15 of them. The various services are provided through integration with the ministry's national documentation and archiving system to ensure business procedures are facilitated and completed through the mobile app application or portal.The new services include: The issuance of provisional registration certificate; renewal of provisional registration certificate; issuance of registration certificate; issuance of seaworthiness certificate; application of ownership transfer for vessels; issuance of certificate of deletion; issuance of specification amend certificate; application of mortgage registration; application of non-encumbrance; craft mortgage decomposition; issuance of deratting certificate; annual ship fees; certificate of report marine incident; certificate of authorization; certificate of extension; certificate of relaxation registration for vessels; exemption certificate; "To whom it may concern" certificate; certificate of safety insurance; continuous synopsis record (CSR) document; NOL for the announcement of a navigational warning; safe manning certificate and lost-damaged replacement request. “The launch of the new e-services is part of the Ministry's efforts to modernize and develop a maritime transport industry in support of technological development and economic diversification,” said Dr. Saleh Bin Fetais Al-Marri, Assistant Undersecretary for Maritime Transport Affairs at the Ministry of Transport and Communications.He added: “The ministry's plans not only to support integration between the various means of maritime transport and the development of the industry's infrastructure, but also seek to make a qualitative shift in the digitization of maritime services by providing smart services and solutions to the public and leveraging modern technology to provide the best service possible. These new electronic services will enable the public to submit their applications at anytime and anywhere around the clock, saving them time and effort to reach the shipping service offices in Al Khor, Ruwais and Doha."Ms. Mashael Ali Al Hammadi, Director of E-Government Standards Programs in charge of information systems management at the Ministry of Communications, said: "The new electronic services are part of the Ministry of Communications' efforts to implement the standards of the government system. E-Qatar, achieving the objectives of the Qatar Digital Government 2020 strategy to upgrade the level of government services provided to individuals and companies by providing all government services over the internet and ensuring the ability of the user to complete these services in full electronically, and raise the efficiency of government administrative processes through automating various functions and providing modern technological applications to government institutions, as well as realizing the ministry's vision to develop its services easily and make it available to be at hand from everywhere and at any time in order to increase the satisfaction of the beneficiaries."The maritime transport affairs division is participating in the ministry's pavilion at QITCOM 2019 which is organized by the ministry under the title "Safe Smart Cities". The ministry and its various divisions will review the latest developments, projects and programs related to the digital transformation process. It will also showcase the latest technologies, smart solutions and opportunities to exploit this technology to serve various sectors.Noteworthy, the maritime industry contributed in 2017 about 3.5 billion Qatari riyals to the country's GDP, indicating a 10 percent growth over a period of 5 years, according to the Planning and Statistics Authority.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

HE Prime Minister opens first edition of Smart City Expo Doha

DOHA- QATARHis Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and His Excellency President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, opened the Smart City Expo Doha (SCE Doha) conference today. The opening was attended by a number of his excellency sheikhs, ministers, dignitaries, experts and officials in the field of communications and information technology.In its first edition in Qatar, The Doha Smart Cities Expo, organised by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) in partnership with Fira de Barcelona, aims to introduce innovative technology that will contribute to improving the lives of citizens, residents and visitors through social inclusion, sustainability and empowerment.During his speech at the opening session of SCE Doha, HE Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications, welcomed the attendees and thanked His Excellency President Paul Kagame of the Republic of Rwanda for honoring the conference and sharing the vision of the Republic of Rwanda of the future."In a short period of time, the Republic of Rwanda has been able to become an inspiration to many in Africa and the world and Kigali has earned itself a reputation as Africa's leading city and a true global example of what smart cities can achieve,” H.E. HE Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, said. “Our two countries are united by two main and influential factors, the first of which is visionary and committed leaders, represented by the leadership of the both countries, and the second factor is the accelerated pace of development thanks to smart investment in infrastructure, enhancing the investment climate, and the continued support by the state for companies and institutions from the government and private sectors to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals."Speaking at the event, His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, said: "It is an honour to be here at this important event showcasing the important role technology is playing in urbanization. We hope to work with the partners at this event to develop the right technology to deal with the implications of urbanization in order to achieve the best results and outcomes."He added: "There are two important considerations that must be present in our minds as we seek to build smart cities, the first is that smart cities are about human beings, the people and not computers, so the task is not to invest in technology for technology’s sake, but to invest in technology with the aim of making the lives of citizens better. The second consideration relates to the establishment of smart cities where residents and technology users must be responsible for their data at all stages of collection, storage and use. The public and private sectors must cooperate to provide the right environment based on trust to ensure their prosperity, contributing to the spread and application of technology and increasing the quality of services in our smart cities."He further expressed happiness over his country's partnership with the State of Qatar in the field of smart cities, especially that both countries are among the top ten globally in the future vision and speed of response to address its requirements. His Excellency President Paul Kagame praised the efforts of the State of Qatar and the vision of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and devoted an innovation prize in an effort to build a society free of corruption.Ricard Zapatero, President of International Business at Fira de Barcelona, said: "Doha's accession to the global network of organized cities is a reflection of the Qatari government applaudable commitment to the transition to smart cities and cities are looking at Doha's experience in this regard. Today, the State of Qatar is showing the world that it is seeking to improve the lives of citizens with the help of modern technology and this is a success story for the region and it puts Qatar at the forefront in this field. We are keen to showcase and highlight the Qatari experience in the global smart city community, and we will work with the Ministry of Transport and Communications in Qatar to expand and develop the next edition of the event."The event will feature a high-level panel discussion with the participation of some of the world's leading speakers, regional and local speakers (71 speakers from 23 countries), who will be addressing a number of key topics in the field of smart cities and cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and urban planning.The event was attended by His Excellency Ali Sharif Al Emadi, Minister of Finance, and His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ooredoo Group, H.E. Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Sayed, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Free Zones Authority, and Ricard Zapatero, President of International Business at Fira de Barcelona.The second day of the event (October 31) is scheduled to witness a ministerial session with the participation of H.E. Jassim bin Saif al-Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications, and H.E. Ms. Paula Ingabeer, Minister of Information Technology, Communications and Innovation of the Republic of Rwanda, H.E. Mr. Mohammad Jawad Azari Jahrami, Minister of Information and Communications Technology of the State of Iran, and H.E. Hakob Archakian, Minister of Technology of the Republic of Armenia.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The Ministry signs Oracle Software License Agreement

DOHA- QATARThe Ministry of Transport and Communications today signed an Unlimited License Agreement (ULA) with Oracle Corporation, through their local partner Mannai Corporation, that will enable government entities in Qatar access key Oracle products without restrictions for the next three years.The MoU was signed by Assistant Undersecretary of Government Information Technology Sector,MOTC, Mr. Hassan Jassim Al-Sayed, and Vice Chairman, Executive Committee of Mannai Corporation Mr. Khalid Al Mannai, in the presence of HE Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti.The signing event was held on the sidelines of the Qatar IT Conference Exhibition (QITCOM 2019) - the largest Information and Communication Technology showcase and event in Qatar- which is being held at the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha from October 29 to November 1.The ULA agreement aims to deliver cost efficiency and other scale benefits to government entities while improving consistency of ICT service delivery. The pact will also ensure that standardized Oracle Software are used across government agencies.As per the agreement, government entities in Qatar will be able to access some of the commonly used Oracle products including Oracle Database, Oracle Real Application Cluster, Oracle Web Logic and others without having to pay a license fee while cost for other Oracle software have been reduced with up to 70% discount on some products such as database security, protection and encryption software and others.The pact also offers other value-added services to Government entities including personnel training, as part of Qatar Digital Government Training Program (QDGTP), in which Oracle University will offer several trainings for IT staff in government agencies during the period of the agreement. In addition, Oracle will also conduct free security assessments periodically to ensure highest security deployments in the Information Technology Infrastructure across government agencies as per Oracle Standards and best practices.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Monitoring and Evaluation Solution to oversee implementation of national strategic projects

Doha-QatarHE Mr. Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications (MoTC), witnessed this morning the signing of an agreement between MoTC and malomatia through which a monitoring and evaluation solution will be created to oversee the implementation of projects included in the National Development Strategy (NDS). The signing took place on the sidelines of Qatar on the sidelines of the Qatar Information Technology and Communications Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM 2019) being held until November 1 at the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha.The agreement aims to establish a system that can monitor the progress of the National Development Strategy, and provide the electronic infrastructure to connect the various sectors and their sectoral strategies. The system will build dashboards that measure performance and allow leadership and stakeholders to see clearly how much progress is being made on key initiatives and projects outlined in the NDS.The agreement was signed on the one hand by Sheikh Hamad bin Ghanem AlThani, Director of Planning and Quality at MoTC and member of the committee responsible for digitally monitoring NDS projects, and Mr. Yousef Abdulrahman Al Naama, CEO of malomatia on the other hand.The initiative to measure the NDS is run by a committee which was established by a decision from HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. The committee is chaired by Mr. Hamad bin Mohamed Al Fuhaid AlHajri, Technical Office Head in the Prime Minister’s Office, and includes members representing MoTC, the Planning and Statistics Authority, Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Finance. The committee created the framework for the system, the technical requirements and timeframe for the project.The project also aims to build national capabilities in strategic planning and national development, and to lay a solid foundation for data management and measurement of government performance, ensuring efficiency and synergy in pursuit of Qatar National Vision 2030. The system will measure against key performance indicators issued by international organizations to ensure developments in Qatar are aligned with international standards.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Ministry Signs MoU with QNB to establish e-Payment Gateway

Doha - QatarThe Ministry of Transport and Communications today signed a memorandum of understanding with Qatar National Bank (QNB) to roll out an e-payment gateway as one of the most significant new digital government projects in Qatar. The memorandum was inked in the presence of HE Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti and Acting Chief Executive Officer of QNB Group Mr. Abdullah Mubarak Al Khalifa.The MoU signing event was held on the sidelines of the Qatar IT Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM 2019) being held until November 1 at the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha.As per the MoU, which is considered as one of the key new projects of the Qatar Digital Government, which includes the Ministry of Finance as the entity responsible for the collection of revenues in the country, QNB will establish the portal according to the highest international standards, and will effectively go online by the third quarter of 2020. The MoU was signed by Director of E-Government Programs & Standards and Acting Director of Information Systems Dept., MOTC, Ms. Mashael Al-Hammadi, and General Manager, QNB Group Retail, Ms. Heba Al-Tamimi.The Qatar e-Government 2020 Strategy aims to make the Qatari government more efficient, effective and focused on serving the public by improving the level of government services for individuals and companies, raising the efficiency of administrative processes, and enhancing transparency and community participation.The e-payment portal will allow all private and corporate users to pay online for e-services provided by various government departments in the country. The portal will cater for the current and future needs of electronic payment by providing various payment options including credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards and bank account transfers. The portal will also employ multiple payment channels such as the Internet, mobile phones and Points of Sales (POS).At the individual users’ level, the portal will provide an easy, efficient, reliable and multi-channel payment instrument compared with conventional methods while reducing the time and duration required to process the payment. While this portal will bring to government agencies several advantages, most notably cutting operating expenses due to the decrease in the number of resources required to establish, operate and support electronic payment, it will also assist in providing government e-services in as little time as possible.Ms. Al-Hammadi said: “The signing of the MoU with the Ministry of Finance and Qatar National Bank for the development of an e-payment gateway is one of Qatar e-Government 2020 Strategy's objectives, which seeks to develop common services for government entities, simplify procedures, increase efficiency, reduce effort, standardize procedures and ensure better utilization of ICT resources through projects that support the country's digital transformation.” “The portal will provide various online payment options to all government entities, which in turn aim to develop their digital services that require online payment. This will allow for the full automation of services by enabling service users to pay online safely and reliably," she added.Ms. Al-Tamimi said: “We commend the efforts of the Ministry of Transport and Communications to develop the telecommunications and information technology sector in the country. We hereby reaffirm QNB’s keenness on providing advanced and secure banking services, which is what the e-Pay portal will offer, through which we aim to remain at the forefront of the global digital revolution. The State of Qatar is taking confident steps toward digital transformation in all sectors in the country, and we affirm our support of this approach for its vital role in the development of all areas of the country.”The Qatar digital government vision seeks to support government entities to integrate all the services they provide by activating and accelerating the digital transformation of all e-services provided in line with Qatar Digital Government 2020 Strategy and Qatar National Strategy 2030. The number of government services launched as part of the Qatar Digital Government 2020 Strategy reached more than 2,500 services as of last April.In addition to the Ministry of Transport and Communications' pavilion, where the Ministry will put on display all developments, projects and programs related to the digital transformation of various sectors of the country, QITCOM 2019 will feature a special Qatar e-Government corner bringing together various ministries and government institutions under the Qatar Digital Government program. The exhibition will showcase the latest digital services offered by government entities and will highlight investment opportunities and projects available to attract the private sector and specialized companies and encourage them to leverage these opportunities.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Minister of Transport and Communications, QFZA Chairman inaugurate TASMU Digital Valley initiative

Doha - QatarThe Minister of Transport and Communications H.E. Jassim bin Saif Al-Sulaiti, and H.E. Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Sayed, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA), on Wednesday inaugurated the TASMU Digital Valley initiative, on the sidelines of the fifth edition of the Qatar Information Technology Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM 2019), which is being held at the Qatar National Convention Centre until November 1.Participants were shown a video presentation of the initiative during the inauguration ceremony anchored by Noor Al Kuwari, TASMU Digital Valley Project Manager. Following the inauguration, H.E. the Minister of Transport & Communications and the QFZA Chairman, accompanied by several senior state officials, toured the exhibition pavilions.The launch of the initiative is part of the efforts of the Ministry of Transport & Communications (MoTC), in conjunction with the Qatar Free Zone Authority (QFZA), to attract more multinational digital companies to set up operations in Qatar and support local institutions and companies by enhancing their capabilities to compete internationally.TASMU Digital Valley is an innovation cluster where different sectors can come together to help achieve the vision of Smart Qatar by linking digital solution providers with available opportunities in the market. The initiative, which is aimed at further enhancing the digital ecosystem in Qatar, will connect entrepreneurs, startups, investors, academics, researchers, students, multinational corporations and institutions with the common goal of innovating new digital solutions.It will also help facilitate access to incubation and acceleration network, startup exchange programmes as well as co-working spaces and office set-up. Multinationals will be aided with business registration, access to specialized visa packages, open lab space, technology IP advisory and registration support, digital investment catalogue and the TASMU procurement platform.Commenting on the initiative, HE Reem Al Mansoori, MoTC’s Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Society Development Sector, said, “We are proud of this new initiative which is part of MoTC’s strategy towards evolving a vibrant digital society in Qatar. With the TASMU Digital Valley initiative, the digital ecosystem in Qatar is set for a paradigm shift as it will play a major role infostering cooperation between Qatari digital businesses and global tech firms; resulting in the transformation of Qatar into a leading digital hub in the region.”She added, “The initiative aims to identify and register the top global players in digital development and facilitate their entry into the Qatar market. Only by attracting the best companies and talent will we succeed in our goal of making Qatar a leading digital hub in the region in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030.”Highlights of the launch include the signing of a partnership agreement between MoTC and QFZA as well as the unveiling of the TASMU Digital Valley portal and the Qatar Digital Investment Opportunities catalogue were also inaugurated at the Business Center Zone within the MoTC pavilion on the occasion.Abdulla Al Misnad, Deputy CEO of QFZA, added: “Supporting the continued growth and enhancement of Qatar’s emerging technology sector is a key priority of QFZA’s, and we are proud to be a part of this initiative. Qatar’s technological infrastructure and high internet and smartphone penetration all make it a great place for digital and tech companies to establish operations, and Qatar Free Zones are specifically designed to allow investors to take full advantage. We look forward to working closely with the MoTC to bring the TASMU Digital Valley platform to life, welcoming more digital innovators to explore all Qatar and the Free Zones have to offer.”