Hamad Port opens five new service lines in 20 days to consolidate trade ties

When Qatar’s neighbouring countries decided to put an illegal air, sea and land blockade on the country, they clearly thought of quickly bringing the country to its knees.

And they would have succeeded, had the newly-built Hamad Port not stepped in beautifully to solve the country’s biggest and most immediate needs — a continuous food supply.

And now, Qatar Ports Management Company-Mwani Qatar has outdone itself once again, inaugurating five new direct service lines with a number of regional ports and beyond in less than 20 days, reported The Peninsula.

The first direct service between Hamad Port and Sohar Port in Oman was inaugurated on June 11. Hansa Neuburg, operating under Milaha’s DMJ service, was the first ship to call the port under the new service.

On June 23, another new line linking Hamad Port to Salalah Port was launched with the arrival of the container ship Paul Abrao to the port.

New shipping lines were also launched with India’s Nhava Sheva and Mundra ports.

On June 28, Mediterranean Shipping Company inaugurated its maiden voyage between Hamad Port and Salalah Port with MSC KERRY being the first vessel to call port.

‘Green Guatemala’ was the first ship which docked at the Hamad Port under the new service between Doha and Turkish port — Izmir — and it carried almost 3,000 tonnes of foodstuff, reported Qatar Tribune.
Meanwhile, another report in Qatar Tribune said that Iran's Valfajr Shipping Company was planning to establish a direct marine route from the Iranian port of Bushehr to Qatar in the next two weeks.

The move is aimed at ‘expansion of non-oil trade’ toQatar, Xinhua news agency quoted an official with Bushehr Ports and Maritime Organisation, Abolqasem Mohammadzadeh, as saying.