The Hamad Port has had an important role to play in minimizing the effects of the illegal siege of Qatar, which has been in place since June 5, 2017.

The Hamad Port provided an important entry point for food and other raw materials into the country from different parts of the world, helping absorb some of the impacts of the siege.

And yesterday, Hamad Port held a ceremony to mark the handling of its first one million TEUs, well ahead of its expected schedule, reported Gulf Times.

TEU stands for Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit, which can be used to measure a ship's cargo carrying capacity. The dimensions of one TEU are equal to that of a standard shipping container which are 20ft long and eight feet tall.

Hamad Port’s rapid increase in container handling business demonstrates its operational efficiency and relentless efforts toward holding a leading position among key regional and global ports, said the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC). 

The one million TEUs came from regional and global seaports via 22 direct navigation routes and around 120 navigation destinations.

“The shipping routes that have been launched between Hamad Port and regional and international ports have provided additional reliable options and solutions for customers, playing a significant role in enhancing container handling operations and boosting trade via the Port,” Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani Qatar) CEO Captain Abdulla Al Khanji was quoted as saying by The Peninsula.

The newest route to be open is a new service from South Korean shipping line Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) as part of the South Korea-Middle East Express (KME) service.