Wheels of Progress

Qatar has undergone a grand transformation in the previous decade and will continue to be a model for economic development as the country begins preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, despite its already proven economic successes, the country’s monumental growth has led to logistic and infrastructure challenges as it seeks to continue its rapid pace of growth. In recognition of these challenges, the Qatari leadership has identified the need to upgrade the country’s transportation and logistics capacity to cope with the increasing burden of importing of construction materials and consumer goods. As such, Qatar has undergone a host of infrastructure projects, such as the expansion of Hamad International Airport, the inauguration of Hamad Port, and the construction of the GCC Rail Network. While these megaprojects play a fundamental role in the growth of the transportation and logistics sector, the offerings would not be complete without the complimentary developments of logistics and warehousing parks.

Manateq, Qatar’s special economic zone authority, is developing a host of logistics parks that are aiming to create a modern environment suitable for supply and storage services, and to provide investment opportunities that will add real value to the local economy. These projects have prime locations for access to integrated water, electricity, and road networks, as well as providing long-term rent. Within the Logistics Parks, Manateq will provide warehouses and workshops for processing and assembly, commercial showrooms for goods and products, and options for a variety of offices and worker accommodation.

Jery Al Samur Logistics Park is set to become a key location for the distribution of land-based goods and materials throughout Qatar and the wider region. With its advantageous location adjacent to the Planned Truck Route between Al Rayyan and Lusail, Jery Al Samur Logistics Park will be an important warehousing and distribution center. Jery Al Samur’s 21 medium- to large-sized plots were awarded in April 2015 for the establishment of modern storage and distribution warehouse facilities to serve the local market in sectors of food and beverage, global warehouses, auto tools and machinery, and construction materials.

Manateq is also developing three separate logistics parks in the Southern region of Qatar, namely Al Wakra, Birkat Al Awamer, and Aba Saleel, containing 1,583 plots across an area of 6,330,907sqm. Considered to be some of the largest parks contributing to the economic development of Qatar, each one is strategically located in the southern region, with close proximity to Hamad Port, Mesaieed Industrial City, and the Orbital Expressway.

The parks are made up of various small-, medium-, and large-sized plots with flexible development guidelines to facilitate the needs of all investors, all of which will support the various developments and businesses located here. The parks aim to reduce the operational costs of investment and enhance business productivity by providing a fully integrated, industry-aligned infrastructure. The Southern Region Logistics Parks were awarded in December 2015 and will be suitable for activities in assembly workshop, light fabrication, open storage, warehousing facilities, workshops for the maintenance and storage of vehicles, light assembly and fabrication workshops, and service hubs.Manateq sponsors four warehousing parks to complement its logistics activities. The warehousing parks under Manateq were awarded by tender to developers who will oversee the management and operation of these warehousing parks under a build, operate, transfer (BOT) process. The warehousing parks offer prime locations comprised of various sized warehouses and adjoining support facilities.