Source: www.link2portal.com
Qatar will host its first ever transport and logistics trade fair next month when the Trans4 Expo hits the Doha Exhibition Centre for a three-day stint.
Organised by Qatari conglomerate Al Baida Group, the event will run from 17 – 19 October 2011 and be held concurrently with the GCC Transport & Railways Conference, which will take place at the nearby Ritz Carleton Hotel.
So why Qatar? Transport-related projects currently occupy a pre-eminent position in the emirate’s sizeable infrastructure plans.
As the state prepares for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, projects in the pipeline include a $25-billion metro and rail network, an international airport ($10 billion), a new deep-water port ($7 billion) and a Qatar-Bahrain causeway ($4 billion). All of these projects will have a dramatic impact on the way goods are transported in Qatar.
S&P (Standard & Poor’s) estimates that the government will spend an additional 233 billion Qatari riyals ($64 billion) on infrastructure in preparation for the sporting spectacle, which is an estimated 47 per cent of its GDP.
Commenting on the upcoming expo, Ali Al Misnad, chairman of Al Baida Group, said: “The transport and logistics sector is steadily growing due to the government initiatives across the sector and sustained infrastructure investments.
“We are pleased to be the first to introduce this opportunity in Qatar to showcase latest technologies and products in such important sector.”
“Trans4 aims to provide opportunities for transport and logistics leaders to network with local decision makers and get a comprehensive overview about this vital sector.
According to UKTI, the UK is one of Qatar’s key trading partners, exporting goods worth £990 million to Qatar in 2010, up 27 per cent year on year. Exports included industrial machinery and equipment, electrical machinery, vehicles and power generation equipment.
