Emir patronizes inauguration of Hamad Port

Doha, Qatar: The Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani patronized the official inauguration of Hamad Port in Umm Al Houl on Tuesday.

The Emir placed the logo of Hamad Port on the designated area, marking the official opening of the port.

The inauguration was attended by the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani and  Speaker of the Advisory Council H E Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi.

The inauguration ceremony began with national anthem played by the Qatar Armed Forces Military Band followed by a show entitled ‘the bird of goodness’ that embodies the story of Qatar’s prosperity and development from the past to the present.

The Minister of Transport and Communications H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti delivered a speech in which he said that the port was completed much ahead of schedule and well below the budget.

“This giant gateway carries the Father Emir’s name, which, in our memory and world memory, will be synonymous with the maker of miracles in this land.”

The minister said that this would not have been achieved without the guiding directives and unlimited encouragement from the Emir and the active support from the Prime Minister.

The Minister added that the Emir’s vision not only foresaw all the hard possibilities of the future, but is also a motivator for us to face all of its challenges, pointing out that Hamad Port demonstrates this most vividly as it has played a very important role recently by providing direct marine shipping routes with key regional and world seaports in a short time, thus contributing to securing the goods, supplies and all that is needed for our vital projects.

He said that this port will contribute to increasing world trade volumes between Qatar and world markets, creating job opportunities for youth, raising living standards in addition to improving Qatar’s competitiveness by transforming it into a regional business center, which, in turn, will establish sustainable development for generations to come.

“We have proven beyond any doubt how much we are flexible but steadfast when it comes to facing challenges without compromising out values, traditions and ambitions. We have all reason today to keep our heads up, given the amount of difficulties we have overcome and the challenges we have faced. Today, we are stronger and more determined with even more options at hand. We do not wait for the sea to calm – we learn how to sail through the storm,” Al Sulaiti said.

The minister said that the second phase of Hamad Port will be completed and delivered between 2020 and 2021. He also said that the private sector will have a major portion of the construction works of the second phase.

It was also attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Morocco Habib El Malki, the Minister of Transport and Communications of Oman Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salem Al-Futaisi, Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Graziano Delrio, Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran Abbas Akhoundi, French Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne, Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy of Morocco Moulay Hafid Elalamy, Minister of Communications and Communications of Azerbaijan Ramin Guluzade, Minister of Economy of Bulgaria Emil Karanikolov, and Director General of the Ports Authority in Kuwait Sheikh Yousef Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah.

At the end the ceremony, a heritage performance was showcased, which told the story of ancestors diving into sea and practicing fishing as profession and the continued efforts by their sons to achieve more progress and prosperity for the country.