Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has opened the new Hamad Port as part of a wider plan to increase non-petroleum exports. It means larger container ships can go directly to Doha rather than docking in the United Arab Emirates, where cargo used to be transferred to smaller vessels. The UAE is one of the countries that have imposed a land, air and sea blockade on Qatar. The port will have an annual capacity of 7.5 million shipping containers, and separate terminals dedicated to general cargo, cereal, vehicles and livestock. It is expected to be fully operational by 2020, when it will cover around 20sq km. The existing Doha port will then be transformed into an international cruise ship terminal. Al Jazeera’s Jamal Elshayyal reports from Hamad Port, Doha.
SOURCE:ALJAZEERA
