Clearance companies complete training, resume work at Jaber crossing

AMMAN — A total of 70 clearance companies resumed work at the Jaber border crossing with Syria, after completing training sessions, a sector leader said on Thursday.

Deifallah Abu Aqouleh, president of the Association of Owners of Clearance and Transport Companies, said that the Jordan Customs Department exempted clearance companies from licensing fees for 2016 and 2017, due to the work stoppage at the border crossing, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Abu Aqouleh said that these exemptions should help lower companies’ costs and allow them to resume their activities as quickly as possible. 

The Jaber/Nasib crossing between Jordan and Syria was back to business as usual on October 15, after it was reopened for passenger and cargo movement under certain conditions agreed to between the two countries.

The crossing had been closed for three years due to the security situation in southern Syria.

Since the reopening of the crossing, more than 1,000 Jordanians have crossed into Syria, a customs officer told The Jordan Times in a previous interview.

Abu Aqouleh said that clearance companies had dealt with 350 trucks so far. Most of them were coming from Syria and Lebanon to Jordan, and transiting through the Kingdom to Gulf countries and Iraq, noting that these trucks were laden with foodstuffs, fruits, vegetables and other commodities. 

He added that he expected the cargo shipments to increase and bolster the national economy.