DOHA: Hamad Port continues to post strong performance, despite the ongoing illegal siege imposed on Qatar.
The port, the largest port in the Middle East, saw a huge 44 percent year-on-year rise in cargo movement in September this year, while 120 percent rise was seen in tonnage in the same month.
The port harboured 150 vessels in September this year compared to 104 vessels in same month last year while net tonnage at the port rose to 143,750 tonnes in September against 65,470 tonnes in September 2016. The strong movement at the port is result of proactive steps taken by the Mwani Qatar in the past few months.
The year-on-year growth in cargo traffic has continued in every month, after the siege was imposed on June 5 blockading countries. In August, vessel movement increased by 47 percent as 162 vessels harboured at the port compared to 110 vessels in same month last year. Net tonnage at the port has jumped by around 111 percent to 129,630 tonnes in August this year from 61,520 tonnes in the same month in 2016.
Similarly, 136 vessels harboured at the port in July this year compared to 105 vessels in the same month last year, showing year-on-year rise of around 30 percent. Net tonnage at the port surged by 137 percent to 123,100 in July this month from 71,040 tonnes in the same month last year.
Mwani Qatar in cooperation with its partners had, in the past few months, inaugurated a number of new direct shipping lines between Hamad port and a number of ports in the region and beyond.
The new routes connected Qatar ports to Sohar and Salalah ports in Oman, Shuwaikh Port in Kuwait, Karachi port in Pakistan, Izmir port in Turkey, Mundra and Nhava Sheva ports in India.
Within a week of three Gulf countries imposing a blockade on Qatar, Mwani Qatar launched a new direct service between Hamad Port and Sohar Port in Oman under Milaha’s DMJ service — three times a week.
