Container movement through the Hamad, Doha and Al Ruwais ports has seen about 4% year-on-year growth this August as the country gradually eases the restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The country's maritime sector witnessed a robust month-on-month increase in the handling of automobiles (RORO) and building materials, which are one of the key parameters gauging the pickup in the local economy, said the figures of Mwani Qatar, which is responsible for managing Qatar's seaports and shipping terminals.
The number of ships calling on these ports stood at 263 in August this year, lower by 4.71% and 17.55% on a monthly and yearly basis respectively.
As many as 2,048 ships had called on the ports during the first eight months of this year against 2,627 the year-ago period.
Hamad Port’s strategic geographical location offers opportunities to create cargo movement towards the upper Gulf, supporting countries such as Kuwait and Iraq, and south towards Oman.
At present, efforts are to offload the 12 mobile cranes that reached Hamad Port in August end. It came as part of operationalising the 403,500 sqm container terminal 2 (CT2) by the end of fourth quarter (Q4) of this year.
QTerminals said it has begun offloading the RTGs and all the 12 would be offloaded by Saturday, it said in a tweet.
Container handling through the three ports stood at 113,795 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), which increased 3.65% on yearly basis; while it fell 7.6% on monthly basis in August 2020. Container movement totalled 910,350 TEUs during January-August this year, thus registering about 2% on an annual basis.
There was a handling of 4,091 vehicles (RORO), which grew 17.93% month-on-month; even as it plummeted 21.39% on a yearly basis in August this year. A total of 40,339 units have moved through these ports during January-August 2020 compared to 45,823 units the previous year period.
Building materials handled amounted to 27,883 tonnes in August this year, which grew 1.26% month-on-month; but shrank 5.89% on a yearly basis. A total of 200,264 tonnes of building materials had been handled by these three ports during the first eight months of this year against 278,139 tonnes a year ago period.
General cargo movement through the three ports was 51,450 tonnes this August, plummeting 59.1% and 61.09% month-on-month and year-on-year respectively.
Cumulative general cargo movement through the three ports reached 904,949 tonnes during the first eight months of this year against 670,591 tonnes in the comparable period of 2019.
Mwani Qatar is committed to building more efficient and sustainable supply chains that generates and promotes economic development in line with the Ministry of Transport and Communication's strategic plan, aiming to transform the country into a vibrant regional commercial hub.
Besides the usual handling of general cargoes, the Al Ruwais port, Qatar's northern gateway to trade, now handles increased demand of foodstuff and other commodities. It also provides a ready solution by acting as gateway for fresh commodities from neighbouring countries.