Browsing 'hamad port' News

byShabina S. Khatri
Business
byShabina S. Khatri
Business

QNA

Official Hamad Port opening

Dancing water fountains, daytime fireworks and a military band’s rendition of the national anthem marked the official opening of Hamad Port this week.

The QR27 billion facility began operations a year ago, but was inaugurated by the Emir yesterday.

The port has become increasingly important to Qatar in recent months, helping the nation circumvent a three-month long air, land and sea blockade by its neighbors.

According to Reuters, Qatar’s transport minister said the facility would “break the shackles of any restrictions imposed on our economy.”

In a statement, Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti continued:

“Hamad Port is improving Qatar’s competitiveness by transforming it into a regional business center, which, in turn, will establish sustainable development for generations to come.

“We have proven beyond any doubt how much we are flexible but steadfast when it comes to facing challenges without compromising our values, traditions and ambitions.”

Expansion

Hamad Port is already one of the largest in the region. But it is now in the process of a QR5 billion expansion.

When completed by 2020 or 2021, the port is slated to have three terminals with enough capacity to handle 7.5 million containers a year.

New Doha Port Project

Hamad Port rendering

That’s nearly quadruple its current capacity of 2 million containers.

Meanwhile, the former Doha Port near the Museum of Islamic Art is being redeveloped into a cruise terminal to receive tourists.

Thoughts?

byShabina S. Khatri
News
byShabina S. Khatri
News

Mwani

Hamad Port for illustrative purposes only.

Qatar’s new Hamad Port will officially launch in the first week of September, the country’s transport ministry has announced.

The Emir will inaugurate the facility, which has been crucial in helping Qatar circumvent the ongoing Gulf blockade this summer.

Since June, the port has been expanding shipping routes to India, Oman, Turkey and Pakistan to help Qatar bring in more food, construction materials and other items.

Expansion

One of the largest ports in the region, the QR27 billion Hamad Port became fully operational some 10 months ago.

It is already in the process of expanding, and is slated to have three terminals with enough capacity to handle 7.5 million containers a year by 2020.

New Doha Port Project

Hamad Port rendering

That’s nearly quadruple its current capacity of 2 million containers.

Last month, Hamad Port handled nearly 49,000 containers, some 80,000 tons of general cargo, almost 5,000 vehicles and machinery, 74,000 heads of livestock and some 8,000 tons of building materials, the Ministry of Transport and Communications said.

Thoughts?

byDoha News Team
News
byDoha News Team
News

Ashghal

New Hamad Port Road

It should now be easier to drive between Doha, Hamad Port and Al Wakrah following the launch of two new main roads to the south of the capital.

This week, an 11km southern extension to the existing Doha Expressway was connected to the recently-opened G-Ring Road with Mesaieed Road.

The new route means traffic in the area no longer needs to travel through the main road in Al Wakrah.

This should improve congestion in the town and cut in half the journey time between the increasingly popular area and Doha, Ashghal said.

Ashghal

Benefits of Hamad Port Road and Doha Expressway southern extension

Commuters had previously complained about long traffic snarls in the area due to lack of capacity on the roads.

It’s also now easier to get to and from Hamad Port, after a new 14km road opened linking to G-Ring Road.

The route cuts travel times between the Industrial Area and the port. This means food and goods can be transported more efficiently from the docks to supermarket shelves and construction projects around the country.

Expressway extension

The new, southern extension of the Doha Expressway runs for 11km from the south of Al Wakrah to the junction with G-Ring Road, a QR4 billion project that was completed in April this year.

Ashghal

Doha Expressway southern extension

According to Ashghal, this road will eventually be linked with the existing sections of the Expressway. Currently, this ends at a junction with E-Ring Road.

So far, four of five lanes in each direction are open to traffic. Final works are still underway on the five interchanges on the route, which are expected to be finished in the coming months.

Once completed, these multi-level interchanges should improve connections between the increasingly popular southern residential districts of Al Wakrah and Al Wukair, and central Doha.

Ashghal said the project also includes:

  • 20 bridges,
  • One tunnel,
  • Eight underpasses, and
  • 42km of new pedestrian and cycle paths.

Hamad Port Road

A new 14km stretch of road has also opened to traffic to improve access between Hamad Port, the Orbital highway and the Industrial Area.

Ashghal

Hamad Port Road

The road is four lanes in each direction and runs from Um Al Houl interchange by the port, south of Al Wakrah, up to G-Ring Road.

With a capacity of 8,000 vehicles an hour, the new route should cut journey times by about 15 percent, according to the public works authority.

Will the new roads improve your commute? Thoughts?