Ship chandlers & ship supply at BGN/PCGN1956 - HAMAD QAHMD

Hamad Port is run by Mwani Qatar under the Ministry of Transport. It covers 29 km², began operating in December 2016 and was formally inaugurated on 5 September 2017. It has three container terminals (two in operation), a general cargo terminal, a multi-use terminal and specialist terminals for livestock, vehicles and bulk grain.^[1]

—Stated capacity: 5 million TEU a year from the operating container terminals, expandable to 7.5 million, plus 7 million tonnes of general cargo, 1 million tonnes of grain and about 500,000 vehicles.^[1]

—QTerminals operates Container Terminal 1 (since December 2016), Container Terminal 2 (since December 2020), the general cargo and multi-use terminals and the offshore supply terminal. Its equipment includes 15 quay cranes, 52 RTGs and 3 mobile harbour cranes.^[3]

—Mwani’s port guide gives each container terminal 1,200 m of quay, a 17 m basin, a maximum draft of 14.0 m and a maximum LOA of 397 m. The navigation channel is controlled to 15 m at chart datum and the maximum unrestricted transit draft is 14 m.^[2]

—Traffic in 2025: 3,019 ship calls (up 8% on 2024) and about 1.46 million TEU across Qatar’s ports, nearly half of it transshipment at Hamad. Hamad Port ranked 8th in the world and 2nd in the Gulf in the 2025 Container Port Performance Index.^[4,5]

Mwani’s port guide sets out where each kind of supply is allowed. Provisions and stores can be delivered at anchorage and at some selected berths. Fresh water and MGO are delivered only alongside, at selected berths, by road truck. For spares or provisions at anchorage, the agent requests the Port Marine Units service.^[2]

—Where the terminal operator has shore water at the berth, ships must use it. Where it does not, the agent brings the supply documents with items and quantities to Port Planning for a no-objection stamp.^[2]

—Ship-to-ship transfer of bunkers, water, stores or provisions inside port limits needs the Port Authority’s written permission. At anchorage, Coast Guard approval is needed as well.^[2]

—There are two waiting anchorages outside port limits. Area A is for ships drawing more than 8 m and Area B for ships drawing less. M-1, between the east and west channels, is for emergencies only. Ships must request anchoring and keep a listening watch on VHF 16/14.^[2]

—Waste goes through the agent: garbage, oily bilge water, grey and black water and hazardous material are collected only by waste contractors permitted at Mwani ports.^[2]

—2026: after the Hormuz disruption, Qatar’s Ministry of Transport advised shipping lines to route Hamad-bound goods via Sohar, Salalah and Duqm, with Fujairah and Khor Fakkan as the second choice. In March, Lloyd’s List reported Qatar’s ports open but running below pre-conflict levels. Hamad handled 121 vessels and 78,002 TEU in June 2026. As of 31 August, Maersk still had most Qatar bookings suspended.^[6,5,7]

—A licensed local agent, appointed before entry. Mwani may refuse entry to a ship that has no agent, and it may ask the agent for a guarantee covering the principal’s dues.^[2]

—Pre-arrival via the agent in the Port Community System: ETA at Mishut Light Buoy and vessel documents 48 hours ahead, firm ETA 24 hours ahead, and VHF 14 calls at 3 hours and 1 hour. Ships without pre-arrival documents are not allowed into port limits.^[2]

—A pilot: all port waters are compulsory pilotage areas for ships over 24 m unless Mwani has granted an exemption.^[2]

—Crew changes are allowed at all berths, provided at least 50% of the arrival crew stays on board. The agent submits the arrival and departure crew lists and the minimum safe manning document.^[2]

—Provisions, stores, fresh water and waste landing: post a requirement and chandlers, agents and contractors serving Hamad answer with sealed bids. Suppliers never see the vessel’s name until award. If you supply ships at Hamad, be the first supplier in.