Amman, Sep.1 (Petra) -- The Association of Owners of Clearance and Transport Companies said companies operating at the Kingdom’s customs and border centers organized and completed procedures for 656,000 customs declarations from the beginning of this year through August 18.
According to statistical data compiled by the Association, the declarations processed during the period included 220,000 transit declarations, 228,000 declarations for imports destined for the local market, 118,000 declarations for exports outside the Kingdom, and 13,000 declarations for re-export purposes.
The data showed that total cargo throughput at Aqaba’s main port during the first seven months of this year reached 7.978 million tons, compared with 5.363 million tons during the same period last year, an increase of 49 percent.
During the same period, cargo throughput reached 4.216 million tons at the main port, 2.910 million tons at the oil and gas port, and 851,000 tons at the passenger terminal port.
The number of vessels arriving at Aqaba’s ports during the same period reached 992, including 243 vessels at the main port, 99 at the oil and gas port and 650 at the passenger terminal.
The data also showed that 298,291 loaded containers entered the Kingdom through the container port during the same period, while 58,444 containers were exported outside the Kingdom. A total of 327 vessels entered the port, with total cargo throughput reaching 574,580 tons.
Freight movements through the Jaber Customs Center totaled 267,940 during the same period, compared with 320,076 movements through the Omari Customs Center and 230,346 through the Karama Customs Center, in addition to movements through other centers.
According to the Association statistics, 40,955 vehicles entered the local market or were exported abroad through the Zarqa Free Zone during the same period. They included 3,934 gasoline-powered vehicles, 2,856 diesel vehicles, 3,876 hybrid vehicles and 4,127 electric vehicles, while the remainder were destined for export.
President of the Association Daifallah Abu Aqoula told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the flow of goods into the Kingdom through all customs centers and Aqaba ports continued normally despite regional conditions and tensions.
He said goods destined for the local market or transported in transit benefit from facilitation, cooperation and coordination between the relevant authorities and customs clearance and freight transport companies to expedite procedures and complete transactions, despite some challenges.
Abu Aqoula commended the efforts and facilitation provided by the relevant authorities, Jordanian Customs teams and various security agencies to speed up work at customs and border centers and complete procedures as quickly as possible for goods entering the local market, leaving the Kingdom or moving in transit.
He also highlighted the cooperation extended by various authorities to the customs clearance and transport sector, both in Aqaba and through customs and border centers, in support of trade flows, supply chains, freight and transit operations, and the completion of transactions within the shortest possible time.
Abu Aqoula said that, despite regional tensions, closures and increased shipping and insurance risks and costs, Aqaba Port has demonstrated its importance as a gateway to countries in the region and as a vital maritime and land outlet for goods destined for Iraq, Syria and the Gulf Arab states.
He called for expanding and developing the infrastructure of Jordanian ports and border centers in line with national objectives to make the Kingdom a regional transport and logistics hub and to benefit from Aqaba Port’s strategic location.
He also stressed the importance of establishing new routes for trucks to facilitate the flow of goods entering the Kingdom or passing through it, while reducing procedures related to the inspection of transit goods and unifying procedures among authorities involved in customs and regulatory matters.
Abu Aqoula further called for establishing a dedicated national window for Aqaba Port, noting that 65 percent of import operations are carried out through the port, which would facilitate the flow of goods and speed up the completion of transactions.
The Association of Owners of Clearance and Transport Companies, established in 1982 and registered with the Ministry of Labour, aims to serve the sector, address challenges facing workers and raise professional standards and workforce efficiency.
There are 467 licensed customs clearance companies operating in the Kingdom, with 2,000 branches distributed across customs and border centers nationwide. They provide around 10,000 job opportunities for Jordanians.
//Petra//WH
