* MSC Heidi is the first ship to arrive in Doha from the Far East
* The vessel will return to Shanghai with 'at least 120 fully loaded containers'
More than 800 containers were unloaded at Hamad Port after MSC Heidi arrived in Doha from the Far East. Besides essential foodstuff, the ship carried heavy equipment and construction materials, among other items, sources told Gulf Times.
The vessel belongs to global liner Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The sources pointed out that MSC Heidi is the first ship to arrive in Doha from the Far East since the start of the blockade on June 5.
With a capacity of a little over 9,000-TEU, it is also one of the largest vessels to arrive here during the blockade period, they added.
The ship had set sail from Shanghai, China, last month before calling on ports in such as Ningbo, Shenzhen (both in China), Singapore, Colombo (Sri Lanka), Jebel Ali (the UAE), Dammam (Saudi Arabia) and Umm Qasar (Iraq), enquiries found.
The ship will return to Shanghai with "at least 120 fully loaded containers" in the early hours today, a shipping official said.
Under a revised schedule, the ship will go via Mundra port in India on its way back to Shanghai, he noted.
Late on Saturday, loaded with exports from Qatar, MSC's Seaboxer returned to Salalah in Oman after calling on Hamad Port.
Another MSC vessel is expected to call on Hamad Port on May 6, according to sources.
Bringing more cargo to Qatar, a number of ships have arrived at Hamad Port over the past few weeks as more global liners look to utilise the port's infrastructural facilities.
For instance, MSC Kerry recently arrived from Salalah with cargo from Kuwait and Oman.
Also, operations have been launched under the new India Qatar Express Service while leading global shipping line Maersk has launched a new direct service between Hamad Port and Salalah.
In a related development, Qatar Primary Materials Company had on Saturday announced that its ports in Mesaieed had received about half a million tonnes of gabbro from Oman over the past few days.
