A total of 726 ships arrived in the three ports during January-March 2025, a 12.21% growth on annualised basis. In March alone, as many as 247 vessel calls were recorded, jumping 6.47% and 8.81% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively, according to figures collated from Mwani Qatar.
Reflecting buoyancy, notably in the non-hydrocarbons, Qatar’s maritime sector saw higher vessels call, resulting in brisk yearly growth in the movement of RORO (vehicles), livestock and building materials through Mesaieed, Doha and Al Ruwais ports during the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, according to the official data.
A total of 726 ships arrived in the three ports during January-March 2025, a 12.21% growth on annualised basis. In March alone, as many as 247 vessel calls were recorded, jumping 6.47% and 8.81% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively, according to figures collated from Mwani Qatar.
Hamad Port - Qatar’s main seaport, located south of Doha in the Umm Al Houl area and whose strategic geographical location offers opportunities to create cargo movement towards the upper Gulf - saw as many as 120 vessels call (excluding military) on the port in March 2025.
The three ports handled a total of 30,811 RORO during the first three months of this year, registering a 60.47% surge year-on-year. In March alone, as many as 10,371 RORO movements were recorded, showing 73.69% and 36.48% growth on yearly and monthly basis respectively. Hamad Port alone handled as many as 10,298 units in March this year.
Qatar’s automobile sector has been witnessing renewed demand, reporting stronger sales, notably in heavy equipment, private motorcycles and private vehicles, according to National Planning Council data .
The building materials traffic through the three ports stood at 159,718 tonnes during Q1-2025, which was up 11.78% on an annualised basis. In March alone, the three ports had handled as much as 88,131 tonnes, surging 68.7% and 118.1% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively.
The three ports were seen handling 230,625 livestock heads during January-March 2025, which showed a 4.3% growth on an annualised basis. In March this year, the ports handled as many as 97,625 livestock heads, which declined 17.66% on yearly basis but zoomed 31.57% month-on-month. Hamad Port handled as many as 8,000 livestock heads in the review period.
The container movement through three ports amounted to 336,889 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) during the first three months of 2025, down 4.17% on a yearly basis. In March alone, as many as 99,410 TEUs of containers were seen handling, which declined 27.36% and 12.17% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively.
Hamad Port, the largest eco-friendly project in the region and internationally recognised as one of the largest green ports in the world, had welcomed 133,000 TEU CMA CGM Iron, the first dual-fuel methanol container vessel to visit Qatar.
The container terminals have been designed to address the increasing trade volume, enhancing ease of doing business as well as supporting the achievement of economic diversification, which is one of the most important goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The general and bulk cargo handled through the three ports stood at 322,206 freight tonnes during Q1-2025, which fell 12.29% on yearly basis. In March alone, the general and bulk cargo handled through three ports was 70,392 freight tonnes, plunging 49.39% and 35.65% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively.
Hamad Port – whose multi-use terminal is designed to serve the supply chains for the RORO, grains and livestock – handled as much as 30,116 freight tonnes of breakbulk and 7,000 freight tonnes of bulk in March this year.
The container and cargo trends through the ports reflect the positive outlook for the country’s non-oil private sector.
In line with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030, Mwani Qatar continues to implement its ambitious strategy to enhance the maritime sector’s contribution to diversifying the national economy and strengthening the county’s position as a vibrant regional
trade hub.
