As one of the GCC’s fastest evolving economies and with a clear eye on its National Vision 2030 objectives, Qatar is poised for a robust growth in its maritime and logistics sectors supported by surges in its port activity.

To help drive these sectors further, a new event – Seatrade Maritime Qatar – will take place from February 4 to 5, 2025 at the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, putting the spotlight on Qatar and its burgeoning global presence as a maritime hub on the international shipping map.

The event will be organised by Seatrade Maritime and in partnership with Founding Strategic Partner, Mwani Qatar.

Mwani Qatar stated: “While Qatar strives to bolster its global leadership in the oil and gas sector, it also aims to boost the growth of its non-hydrocarbon economy. The goal is to reach average per-annum real non-hydrocarbon growth of 4% through 2030, focusing on expanding manufacturing, tourism, logistics, education, health, food and agriculture, financial services, and information technology and digital services in addition to future clusters around critical technologies and national assets.”

The maritime and its logistics sectors are integral to this growth and the latest statistics from Mwani Qatar underscore the pivotal role of the maritime sector in driving economic growth and supporting Qatar’s vision for the future.

During the first half of 2024, Mwani Qatar ports collectively handled 706,983 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers, marking a 12% growth compared to the same period last year. The ports also recorded significant increases in livestock (22%), and roll-on/roll-off (RORO) units (39%), showcasing the diverse range of goods passing through the ports.

Surge in port activity

June 2024 witnessed a surge in port activity, with the three ports receiving 242 vessels, a 23% increase from June 2023. Mwani Qatar revealed that container handling saw a remarkable 51% increase, while livestock and general and bulk cargo volumes rose by 149% and 163%, respectively. These figures indicate a robust and dynamic trade environment in Qatar.

During the first half, Mwani Qatar stated that 1,323 ships called at Qatar’s three ports. Moreover, the ports received 931,465 tonnes of general and bulk cargo shipments, 55,944 units of RORO vehicles, 358,201 heads of livestock, and 171,158 tonnes of building materials.

With growth expected to continue, Seatrade Maritime Qatar will look at how international companies can do business in Qatar… whilst Qatari companies will look to promote its visibility on the global arena by showcasing opportunities with local companies.

Deep dive

Taking place over to days, the event will include an exhibition and world-class conference programme. Highlighting some of the focus areas, the conference will deep dive into: • Sustainable & green shipping including: green fuels, emission controls and eco-friendly practices • Digital transformation in maritime including: the overall role of digitalisation, IoT, AI and blockchain in transforming maritime operations, supply chain management and trade facilitation • AI in maritime operations including: AI in autonomous shipping, predictive maintenance, smart ports and weather forecasting / route optimisation.

Chris Morley, Group Director, Seatrade Maritime, organisers of the event, said: “With more than 50 years in the maritime industry, Seatrade Maritime is well placed to launch this event in Qatar. With other international events in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, as well as the Philippines; US; UK and Singapore, we know that Seatrade Maritime Qatar will help increase Qatar’s National Vision 2030 objectives and are proud to be part of this journey.”

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