Thursday 20 / March / 2025
Muscat: Cargo companies operating in Oman and the rest of the world are hopeful of increased business despite the pandemic.
While production of and demand for goods slowed dramatically during the early months of COVID-19, the resumption of businesses and setting up supply lines to transport vital supplies where needed have seen cargo firms alter their operations to suit the needs of the pandemic.
“At the height of the pandemic, we saw a rise in freight rates especially in imports from Europe and the rest of the world to Oman,” said Roy Scaria, Oman’s country manager for DHL Forwarding Group.
“Equally, we saw a drop in freight volumes out of Oman due to tepid demand for some of its main exported goods,” he added.
“Having said that, the authorities acted swiftly by simplifying customs clearance processes to prioritise healthcare and PPE shipments so that they reach the frontline workers and communities who need them the most.”
“We are seeing optimism on the horizon as there is growing cargo capacity, in particular for medical equipment and personnel protection equipment (PPE) cargo given that China and other hubs have resumed production,” Scaria went on to say.
“In spite of these challenges, we have been successful in securing needed capacity for our customer - operating a dedicated chartered network from China to Middle East and Africa, during the initial onset of the pandemic when capacity was at the lowest.”
However, Scaria said that it was still far too early to count the long term economic impact of the pandemic, which is expected to last for quite a while. The precautions put around the world to stop the spread of the disease have grounded many airlines and affected supply chains worldwide.
“Certainly, transit times are longer as there are more stringent sanitary checks and restrictions imposed on the import and export of goods,” he went on to say.
“The mandatory medical checks that all crew members have to undergo as well as prioritising the shipment of PPE and medical supplies have added to the amount of time it takes to transport regular goods.”
“While we work towards a solution to mitigate delays, we are currently focusing our resources on prioritising the clearance of healthcare and PPE shipments,” added Scaria.
“Our employees have been working through the pandemic to ensure that our customers from all industries continue to operate, and this extends to healthcare and aid organisations who need to get access to essential medical items for front line workers.”
He added that business for cargo companies would not be entirely predictable during the pandemic, requiring firms to adapt to situations of concern, such as this one.
“As the pandemic continues to take grip globally, we are still trying to grasp the long-term impact of reduced production lines coupled with border closures and trade restrictions,” he said.
“While we move necessary relief supplies for COVID-19 for UN agencies, NGOs and governments, we are also working to meet our regular customers’ needs.
“Oman and a majority of GCC countries have ensured supply chains stay resilient. This can be attributed to the strong trade ties that regional governments have maintained with countries who have been prioritizing the flow of exports to the Middle East during the crisis,” Scaria added.
“We are in constant contact with all our customers and regularly inform them about delays or changes in routing, and we are working on alternative delivery or storage solutions, should the consignee facility at the destination not be able to receive the goods,” he went on to say. “We are all in this together, and our employees work tirelessly to maintain business continuity for customers.”
