Hamad Port to launch new service lines with Europe and South East Asia

Qatar’s Hamad Port, in an attempt to ensure food security and reduce dependence on regional ports for importing goods, will soon launch new service lines with Europe and Southeast Asia.

Hamad Ports Director Captain Abdul Aziz Al Yafei said the country was taking all necessary steps to get this done as soon as possible, reported Gulf Times.

In a statement, Al Yafei said movement at the port is ‘running smoothly,’ explaining that the port currently operates three main lines).

This development comes soon after the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) announced the launch of a new shipping line between Qatar and India connecting Hamad Port with the Mundra and Nhava Sheva ports in India.

The new maritime line between Qatar and India will be named ‘India Qatar Express Service (IQX), reported The Peninsula.

“The vessels of the new line will visit Hamad Port every Friday and the first shipment will have 710 containers. The express service has readiness to receive larger shipments as needed,” the ministry stated on its website.

The service (IQX) will have weekly sailing and direct express connection between Mundra, Nhava Sheva and Doha (Hamad) for local cargo. The service will accept coastal cargo from west and east coast of Indian ports for transshipment to Mundra and will also accept transshipment cargo from South East Asia/Far East via Mundra.

Port rotation will be as follows: Hamad Port (arrival) Friday (departure) Saturday; Mundra (arrival) Thursday (departure) Friday; Nhava Sheva (arrival) Saturday (departure) Sunday.

Two days ago, Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani Qatar) had also launched a new direct service between Hamad Port and Sohar Port in Oman to be operated three times a week.

Hamad Port's general cargo terminal can handle 1.7 million tonnes of goods per year, according to Qatar's transport ministry, but it is not a bulk cargo port.