CrimsonLogic, a major provider of eGovernment solutions and services based in Singapore, said it has started implementing a nationwide eGovernment system to automate and streamline the customs administration system in Qatar.

The project is being implemented in phases, said a statement from Singapore-based CrimsonLogic, which was awarded the key customs contract in 2008.

The system, upon completion, will simplify procedures to bring about hassle-free trade clearance for the local trading community and their international trading partners, it stated.
 
The Qatar Customs Clearance Single Window (QCCSW) project, granted by government agency ictQATAR, with support from the Customs and Ports General Authority (CPGA), will provide a single electronic interface linking the trading community with up to 13 relevant ministries and government agencies.

This will facilitate data exchange for cargo clearance, encourage a seamless cross-border trade flow and reduce time spent on paperwork, said a top official.

'We are excited to be part of this revolutionary system by the Qatari government. Qatar is a visionary country and is aggressively embracing automation to achieve greater transparency and increased business efficiency,' said Leong Peng Kiong, chief executive officer of CrimsonLogic.

'The QCCSW project is a significant milestone in Qatar's extensive automation drive as it puts in place a unified clearing system that simplifies customs procedures and ensures accuracy, as well as brings significant cost savings to government agencies and the trading community,' he added.

The new customs system employs a method of classification, by separating declarations according to the importance of inspections needed.

Qatar plans to lessen customs inspection to just five per cent of total imports - a target set by the country's Maritime Customs. With this, importers will be able to save time and efforts as clearance procedures will now be conducted virtually, he explained.
 
Consignment clearances will also be greatly reduced from a period of a few weeks to a few minutes, preventing overcrowding and demurrages in Qatari ports. This utilisation of international best practices will benefit economic development and promote foreign investment in the country.

On the challenges of executing multi-geographical solution implementations, Leong said, 'Our approach to any solution is holistic and goes beyond IT systems and implementation.'

'In five years time, CrimsonLogic has established a strong presence in the Middle East, having worked on several prominent projects, including a trade facilitation project known as SaudiEDI in 2005, an integrated arbitration system in Dubai in 2007, and an eJustice programme in the UAE in 2008,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service