TENSIONS
mount among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states blockading Qatar
from all commerce for its defiant independent attitude.
Maersk Line says it is working on
bypassing the ban using alternative routes, but admits it can no longer deliver
cargo using feeders via the United Arab Emirates.
But
Maersk also announced that will have feeders running from Salalah port in Oman
every 10 days from June 19 arriving at in Doha June 25, but it will not accept
bookings for Qatar until further notice.
US Secretary
of State Rex Tillerson, former CEO of oil giant Exxon Mobil, has offered to mediate
between Qatar and the angry Saudi-led coalition.
But
socially conservative Arabs see such an act like neighbour interfering with the
punishment of a spoiled child. The Saudis have even announced fines of US$2,666
for anyone caught watching Qatar's Al Jazeera TV channel, which is as
much a part of the dispute as any other factor.
Qatar,
with the world's highest annual per capita income - US$74,667 a year - has a
population of 2.6 million in 2016, a 62 per cent increase from 2010. What's
more its citizens own more of London than the Queen, says the Daily
Telegraph.
While
many Americans see the reason for the fuss is Qatar's support for terrorism,
others say it has more to do with the country's profound liberalism and its
defiant independent air.
True,
Qatar welcomes Hezbollah terrorist represenatives, and has become a place of
refuge and muster for Arab Spring activists, whose revolutions backfired in
North Africa. But these acts have more to do with radical chic than with any
intent to foment serious revolution on Qatar's part.
After
all, it is also the home of Al Jazeera, the world-beating 24/7 news channel,
whose fame has eclipsed of Arabia itself, parading western styled women as TV
presenters in ways deeply offence to social conservatives in Saudi Arabia, with
which the Qatar peninsula shares its only land border.
Another
factor to keep in mind - perhaps Mr Tillerson's big stick - is that 10,000 US
troops are stationed in Qatar, according to Forbes, which contributes to the
country's air of independence.
German
shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd with its merger of United Arab Shipping Company (UASC)
is now embroiled with Libya, Mauritius, the Maldives and Yemen piling on, but
significantly, not Oman or Kuwait, where 15,000 US troops are stationed.
Hapag-Lloyd
and Gulf-based UASC meant that UASC's two shareholders Qatar Holding and Saudi's
Public Investment Fund (PIF) took 14.4 per cent and 10.1 per cent stakes in the
combined company.
"It
is currently unclear how the Hapag-Lloyd shareholders will resolve the
complications arising from the diplomatic spat involving Qatar and its
erstwhile Middle Eastern partners in UASC," Alphaliner said.
Hapag-Lloyd declined comment.
Abu
Dhabi's oil ports authority banned all vessels coming from or going to Qatar
from using its facilities, a move in line with most other terminals in the
United Arab Emirates.
Saudi
ports are applying restrictions, with some allowing ships to sail to Qatar, and
others preventing vessels from leaving for the neighbouring state, according to
a shipping agent with knowledge of situation.
King Abdullah
Port
on the Red Sea side banned all vessels sailing to or from Qatar from berthing
at its facilities, the shipping agent told Bloomberg.
In
some ways, Mr Tillerson, as a former oil man with many friends in the region,
is an ideal mediator, except for the hostility aroused by US President Donald Trump's
recent friendly visit - far too friendly for Arab social conservatives.
Because
of climate change regulations sprouting everywhere, Qatar stands to make even
more money by its hold on liquified natural gas (LNG) mandated
by western regulators. It is the world's second biggest producer after Russia.
"A
major effect of the cut in diplomatic relationships with Qatar is likely to be
felt in the shipping sector," FGE, a London-based consultant, said in a
research note.
Ships
going to and from Qatar will need to find a new refueling port, and LNG
shippers will have to adjust schedules and routes, it said. "This will
increase costs, and in the near term, could even lead to delays in LNG
deliveries."
Muscat
airport has seen a spike in air traffic this week as a blockade on Qatar has
enabled neutral Oman to bridge the divide between Doha and other Gulf states.
Oman
Air has laid on special flights to help stranded Qataris reach home as other
Gulf countries continue their blockade on Qatar by land, sea and air.
Qatar Airways was forced to cancel
flights to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt after the Riyadh-led
embargo on Doha was announced this week.
It
has put Oman - which has stayed out of the spat - to use its unique position in
the GCC to bridge the gap between Qatar and other Gulf countries.
Oman Air has chartered flights to
pick up the Qataris stranded in these countries due to the ban on Qatar Airways
by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE.
This
includes three flights on Tuesday to the Saudi Arabia's eastern city Jeddah,
Muscat Daily reported.
"Oman
Air is upgrading its flights to Doha to bigger aircraft, with more capacity till
14 June ," a spokesperson from the sultanate's national carrier told
Muscat Daily.
Oman
Air has also provided three extra charter flights for Qatar Airways on the
Muscat-Jeddah-Muscat sector.
The
long-standing tensions between Qatar and several Gulf states erupted on June 5,
after Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE cut diplomatic dies with Doha.
Qatar,
right or wrong has been an irritant for its socially conservative neighbours
for its liberalism representing the Arab world in ways its leaders do not wish
it to be represented, then annoying the Americans by allowing Iran to explore
for natural gas and welcoming Hezbollah terrorist representatives.
And
now it is spending US$500 million a week to bring the 2022 World Cup, the
world's biggest sporting event to the Arab world for the first time, though the
bid as been mired in controversy since Qatar won it seven years ago.
Source
: HKSG.
