In order to attract liners, Qatar is providing financial incentives. Namely, shipping lines that will have direct services at Hamad Port will receive those incentives. However, one of the conditions to get them, is for these lines not to transship within a range of 250 Nm from the Port.
Specifically, starting from 1st March 2019, QTerminals will be offering incentives to the main shipping lines that have direct services calling at Hamad Port.
Nonetheless, these lines must not transship within a range of 250 Nm from Hamad Port.
Sources report that this is an attempt by Qatar to use its financial strength to undermine throughput at nearby ports, and attract more liners.
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In addition, earlier in February, the UAE eased a ban on the shipping of goods between it and Qatar, enforced under a political and economic boycott of Doha, according to port circular. An Abu Dhabi Ports circular cancelled previous directives that banned cargoes of Qatar origin from UAE waters and ports, and those of UAE origin from Qatar.
Specifically on June 2017, the Saudi Arabia Port Authority confirmed that no vessel will be allowed coming from or going to Qatar, regardless of the vessels’ flag or owners nationality. In addition, vessels which are already in port and destined for Qatar as their next destination will not receive Port clearance.
Nevertheless, Abu Dhabi Ports announced that Qatari-origin cargoes are now permitted to enter UAE’s ports and vice versa.
Yet, Qatari-owned or Qatari-flagged vessels are still banned from the UAE, and UAE-flagged vessels are still not permitted to visit Qatar.
