Hamad Port Visitor Center Opens in Qatar

According to H.E. Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Chairman of Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani Qatar), the opening of the Hamad Port Visitor Center, which includes a maritime museum, a cluster of aquariums, and resources on underwater species, will be essential in educating locals and tourists about Qatar's maritime heritage and marine environment.

Toward achieving the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030, H.E. the Minister emphasized that the recently opened center will support national efforts to preserve heritage through its integrated facilities that embody all aspects of Qatari maritime history and its development over time. It will also highlight Hamad Port, the vision, resources, commitment, and great determination to complete one of the largest and most prestigious projects in the country.

The facility stands out due to the presence of a reservoir for marine life, which has 17 aquariums of various sizes, 80 species of fish, and 3,063 marine organisms in total.

As it contains exceptional fish species that emotionally connect visitors with the Umm Al Houl environment, in which Hamad Port is located. it will also play a significant role in transmitting marine culture and knowledge to them. The facility houses the Maritime Museum, which chronicles Qatar's history and showcases artwork depicting the country's prehistoric lifestyle. It also tells narratives of maritime trade and its evolution over time, the invention of containers and the development of ships, and the operational procedures in Hamad Port and their significance in our day-to-day lives. This is especially true given that it is fitted with cutting-edge interactive screens that simulate a variety of activities.

Regarding the Port Community System (PCS), "Mwanina", H.E. the Minister stated that the system's introduction fits with the ministry's plans to create a network of smart commercial ports that are integrated with other modes of transportation and connect the local economy with international markets, in line with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. He also indicated that the "Mwanina" system, which facilitates ship entry generally, fits with the ministry's plans to provide an effective and efficient network of smart commercial ports.

CEO of Mwani Qatar, Captain Abdullah Mohamed al-Khanji, stated that the new system, which has already registered 141 shipping and customs clearance companies and shipping agencies, will facilitate information exchange between exporters, importers, shipping lines, and all port stakeholders through a single point of contact, saving users time and effort.

Al-Khanji reaffirmed Mwani Qatar's ongoing pursuit of investments in cutting-edge technology developments, which have a significant positive impact on the trading sector. It also has a significant impact on Qatar's transition to a vibrant knowledge-based economy. Mwanina is an electronic platform that enables the efficient and secure interchange of information between stakeholders and various port-related authorities. This helps to speed up and reduce the cost of import and export processes.

By reducing the reliance on paper and removing manual intervention, delays, and errors that are caused by it, this system will support green initiatives by boosting performance and productivity indicators, supporting the national economy and commercial movement, and fostering the growth of logistics services in Qatar.