Doha: The Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani on Tuesday made a visit to Hamad Port, during which he inaugurated the initial operation of Hamad Port's Container Terminal 2, which is equipped with the latest environment-friendly technological equipment to meet the needs and requirements of shipping line operators and would increase the port's capacity by about three million containers per year. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Hamad Port Health Centre and inspected its facilities equipped with all the medical equipment needed to serve the port's employees and visitors.
On this occasion, Minister of Transport and Communications HE Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti said: “His Excellency Prime Minister’s inaugurating the initial operation of CT2 is a new achievement to be added to Hamad Port’s record of achievements, thus boosting its huge potential, modern facilities and advanced systems for increasing Qatar’s trade with the world, in addition to improving the country’s competitiveness by transforming it into a regional trade hub with sustainable development for the coming generations.”
Works of developing CT2, the Strategic Food Security Facilities and all other establishments, which come as part of developing Hamad Port’s CT2, continue in full gear with no delay or slowdown despite the repercussions of the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, which affected several economies around the world directly and indirectly, the Minister said.
Container Terminal 2
CT2 development project consists of 4 phases. Full operation of Phases 1 & 2 will start before the end of 2022. Phases 3 & 4 will be developed later to raise the port’s operational capacity according to local market’s needs.
The area of Phases 1 & 2 of Hamad Port’s CT2 is 380,000 sq.m. Its quay is 624m long.
QTerminals, which manages and operates Phase 1 of Hamad Port, has so far completed 3 million man-hours without LTI during the development works of CT2.
Phase 1 of CT2 has been equipped with 3 STS quay cranes with advanced technology, including semi-automation and remote-control operations. STS cranes are known for being so fast and highly efficient in handling containers and capable of handling latest types of vessels. Each crane can handle four 20’ containers or two 40’ containers at the same time. Four more cranes will be added during 2021, taking the total number of cranes to 7.
CT2 has been also equipped with 12 RTGs and 14 more will be added during 2021, taking the total to 26. RTGs are used for handling containers on the landside. RTGs are of battery hybrid type. This technology reduces the environmental impact of RTG operations by reducing fuel consumption. Further, when a container/load is lowered, there is a spike of generated power which results in a rapid charge event of the batteries.
CT2 has 22 Terminal Tractor APM 75T HE for container transportation within the terminal and the port. This type of terminal tractors is capable of functioning very efficiently in high temperatures. It’s equipped with advanced batteries, an entirely solid-state technology insensitive to temperature variations from -20 to 160°C. This supports its operations at Hamad Port in summers, when temperatures are very high in Qatar.
Furthermore, CT2’s operation-related and service buildings and infrastructure have been finalized, including the Diesel Generator House (DGH), Main Intake Substation (MIS), Admin Building (ADM), Reefer Stack Gantries (RSG), quayside amenities (QAS), telecom, ELV & SSD networks and stormwater networks, in addition to other relevant infrastructure and establishments. All gates will be automatic with seamless connection to operation systems, electronic data exchange and systems of other bodies concerned, in addition to integration with CT1, which started operation in Dec. 2016.
