SIMIC

QATAR'S Hamad Port has crossed the 8 million container throughput milestone since the start of operations in December 2016, indicating the nation's growing importance in the regional and international maritime space.
"This significant achievement reinforces the confidence the shipping lines have in Hamad Port's facilities and QTerminals' safe services, competency and performance," the terminal operating company said in a tweet.
The achievement of the 8 million TEU mark will further encourage shipping lines to add Hamad Port in the rotation of their mainline services calling the Middle East region and use it as one of the regional transshipment hubs, according to QTerminals.
Its total shipping lines network has reached 28, offering direct and indirect services to over 100 destinations around world. QTerminals in December saw the commencement of the weekly India to East MED (Mediterranean) service.
The year also saw the commencement of the Gulf-Pakistan Express (GPX) service, Gulf-India Express 2 (GIX2), a fortnightly service connecting Hamad Port with Singapore, reports Doha's Gulf Times.
A report from KPMG had earlier said container penetration in the Gulf Co-operation Council or GCC countries is more than six times that of the world average and significantly higher than that of major developed nations in the west.