Privatization and inward foreign investment could help ease the pressure on Gulf ports as exports of petrochemicals and plastics soar, delegates were told at the Mari-Chem Middle East 2005 conference that has just ended in Qatar. The conference focused on supply-chain planning and transport solutions to cope with the industry's booming export growth. The Arabian Gulf is set to become the world's biggest user of sea transport, logistics services, and cargo-handling facilities as the region's exports soar to 80 percent of output. By 2007, exports by chemical tanker are projected to top 28 million tons with a further 17 million tons in container shipments, a 40 percent growth on 2003, Arab News reported today. --MORE 1037 Local Time 0737 GMT
