The Saudis Port Authority (SPA) has confirmed that no vessels will be allowed coming from or going to Qatar, regardless of the vessels' flag or owner’s nationality, after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Arab states announced the closure of all transport ties with Qatar on Monday (June 5, 2017).
Qatar is now at the mercy of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE after they severed ties with the wealthy Gulf Arab state for supposedly supporting terrorism that is destabilising the region.
Inward and outward clearance of all ships in Qatar ports is currently continuing to operate as normal, but vessels already in port and destined for Qatar as their next destination will not receive port clearance and no vessel under the Qatar flag will be allowed in Saudi ports regardless of their destination and last port.
The Ports and Maritime Affairs at Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications Bahrain has stated that all Bahrain Ports and territorial waters will remain suspended for marine navigation from and to the State of Qatar with effect from today (June 6, 2017).
Das Port Authority (UAE) has also been instructed to ban all vessels flying the flag of Qatar, and all vessels arriving from or destined to Qatar irrespective of its flag, from calling into any Abu Dhabi Petroleum Port.
Until further notice, the Port of Fujairah has advised that vessels destined to or arriving from Qatar ports are not permitted to call at the Port of Fujairah and Fujairah Offshore Anchorage, regardless of the nature of their call.
The single land border between Qatar and Saudi Arabia is also currently open but this could close at any time and the Suez Canal Authority has advised that vessels flying the Qatari flag transiting the Suez Canal will not face restrictions as Suez Canal is an international water passage.
DP World has been caught up in the dispute and is reportedly speaking with government authorities.
