Doha – Qatar

The Ministry of Transport and Communications today signed a memorandum of cooperation with Al Ahmadani Medical Center for the purposes of medical examinations and medical certifications for seafarers.

The Center will provide medical examinations and fitness reports for seafarers and people working onboard vessels in line with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW 1978), its amendments and with the endorsement of Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health.

The memo was signed by MOTC’s Assistant Undersecretary of Maritime Transport Affairs, Dr. Saleh bin Fetais Al Marri and Chairperson of Al Ahmadani Medical Center Mrs. Ibtehaj Mohammed Al Ahmadani.

The Center will perform all medical examinations for seafarers and people working onboard vessels everyday around the clock. It will also establish an electronic record to update and save checkup data and results.

“These services are a part of MOTC’s strategy for planning and developing the maritime transport sector to ensure that the requirements of international conventions in force are met,” said Dr. Al Marri.

Such services, he added, would contribute to enhancing the functioning of Qatar’s commercial and industrial ports globally with a view to promoting the Qatari maritime sector to the international ranking it deserves.

He said that the Center has all the required medical and technical capabilities as well as qualifications and approvals from the bodies concerned to be in charge of performing medical examinations and issuing fitness reports for seafarers and those working onboard vessels.