Qatar’s ports see robust growth in RORO and livestock handling in August

Qatar's maritime sector saw a robust double-digit year-on-year growth in the handling of vehicles (RORO) and livestock this August, according to the official estimates.

The country's ports recorded container volume of 114,912 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units) with Hamad Port alone handling as much 99% of it during the review period, according to the data of Mwani Qatar.

The number of ships calling on Hamad, Doha and Al Ruwais ports stood at 238 in August 2024, which saw 4.42% decrease year-on-year but was up 1.28% on a monthly basis.

Hamad Port, whose strategic geographical location offers opportunities to create cargo movement towards the upper Gulf, supporting countries such as Kuwait and Iraq and south towards Oman, saw as many as 115 vessels call (excluding military) in the review period. A total of 1,796 ships had called on the three ports during the first eight months of this year.

The three ports handled as many as 10,805 RORO in August 2024, which registered 37.21% growth year-on-year while it declined 11.54% month-on-month. Hamad Port alone handled 10,788 units this August. A total of 78,963 RORO units were handled by three ports during January-August 2024.

Qatar's automobile sector has been witnessing stronger sales, especially in heavy equipment, private motorcycles and private vehicles, according to the latest data of the National Planning Council.

The three ports were seen handling 24,066 livestock in August 2024, which zoomed 39.67% and 18.54% on annualised and monthly basis respectively. As many as 402,569 livestock heads were handled by three ports during the first eight months of this year.

The container handling through the three ports stood at 114,912 TEUs, which saw 4.19% and 21.7% year-on-year and month-on-month decline respectively in August this year.

The container terminals have been designed to address the increasing trade volume, enhance ease of doing business and support economic diversification, which is one of the most vital goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.

With a stacking area of 176,000 sqm, the container terminal 2 or CT2 is equipped with the latest advanced technology, including remote-operated ship-to-shore cranes, hybrid rubber-tyred gantries, and electric tractors.

Hamad Port, which recently celebrated a huge milestone of exceeding 10mn TEUs since beginning operations in 2016, has rapidly evolved into a critical hub for international shipping, catering to the needs of all major global shipping lines.

Hamad Port, which is the largest eco-friendly project in the region and internationally recognised as one of the largest green ports in the world, saw 113,693 TEUs this August. The container volume at the three ports totalled 968,647 TEUs during January-August 2024.

The general and bulk cargo handled amounted to 111,208 freight tonnes through the three ports, which shrank 30.55% and 15.74% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively in August 2024.

Hamad Port – whose multi-use terminal is designed to serve the supply chains for the RORO, grains and livestock – handled 70,540 freight tonnes of breakbulk in August 2024. A total of 1.12mn freight tonnes of general and bulk cargoes were handled by the three ports during January-August 2024.

The building materials traffic through the three ports stood at 13,100 tonnes this August, which tanked 71.57% and 41% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively. As much as 264,719 tonnes of building materials were handled by Hamad, Doha and Al Ruwais ports during January-August this year.