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Santhosh Chandran
DOHA
Shipping and logistics firms in Qatar expect around 50 percent growth in business in the next two months as the frequency of ship arrivals, including mother ships, to Hamad Port has increased manifold since the beginning of the Gulf crisis
Soon after the blockade was imposed on Qatar by the Saudi led bloc, leading shipping companies and logistics firms in the country opened new shipping routes with ports across the world, including Singapore, Colombo in Sri Lanka, and Nhava Sheva, Chennai and Mundra in India.
This move, along with the existing shipping lines with the Omani ports, has significantly increased the volume of shipping to Qatar.
Hamad Port now has connectivity with all major ports in the world and the leading shipping companies have direct service to Hamad Port, according to sources in logistics sector.
Country Manager of Ecu Line Doha, Vijayan, told Qatar Tribune,"There was an initial slowdown after the beginning of the blockade. However, the situation changed soon resulting in a steady increase in business. Now, direct operation of Full Container Load (FCL) and Less than Container Load (LCL) with many major ports are stable and showing an upward trend."
vessels from European countries to Singapore and Oman has also benefited logistics and shipping firms in Qatar.
Food items that require immediate delivery comprise major share of the business of the mid-segment shipping firms in Qatar that handle less than 1,000 containers. The new routes from South East Asian countries focusing on vegetables and fruits have enhanced their business.
A senior official at Arabital Shipping in Doha said the arrival of mother ships of major shipping firms including Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) to Hamad Port, with the emergence of Oman’s Sohar and Salalah ports as transit hubs for Qatar, is expected to help local logistics firms take their profits to new highs.
