The New Doha Port was given the go-ahead in June 2007, when the emir of Qatar issued a decree that officially launched the construction of one of the world’s biggest greenfield port developments.

The project’s budget sits at QR27bn ($7.4bn) and covers the construction of a new port at Mesaieed, a new naval base and the 26.5-square-kilometre Qatar Economic Zone 3.

The scheme is set to be completed by 2016 and is currently running on schedule. The port is an essential part of Qatar’s infrastructure plans. The country is in acute need of increased port capacity to ensure it can import all the raw materials needed to meet the various deadlines set for its extensive infrastructure investments. 

The need for the port development to be completed on time is even more urgent now that Qatar will be hosting the 2022 football World Cup. With a strict deadline to meet, Doha cannot fall behind on its plans to build new stadiums, hotels, roads and an extensive railway network.

Once phase 1 is complete, the port will have a capacity of 2 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). This is considered sufficient to import the materials needed for the World Cup construction programme. Phases 2 and 3 will take place after 2022, to expand the port in line with demand for capacity.

To date, four of the port’s major contracts have been tendered. The latest, issued in October 2012, covered the construction of two commercial terminals and associated utility buildings and logistics facilities. It follows the tender of the container terminal package, which saw bids submitted in October. The contract is expected to be awarded in the first quarter of 2013.

In March 2012, the local Middle East Dredging Company and local/Belgian Dredging International won the $1.23bn phase 2 construction contract, which entails dredging an access channel so ships can reach the port. In 2011, China Harbour Engineering Company won an $880m package to carry out phase 1 of the project, covering excavation works and the construction of the quay wall.

Contractors have also been invited to bid on smaller contracts and a marine works package is being tendered. The deal covers the construction of quay walls and dredging works for the access channel into Qatar Economic Zone 3, a self-contained development to be built next to the port.

A crane package for the supply and installation of ship-to-shore and stacking cranes has also been tendered and is expected to be awarded by the second quarter of 2013.

The port project has faced some challenges during its construction, but nothing serious enough to throw it off course. However, it was a struggle to secure sufficient rock imports.

The project requires rock that is unavailable in Qatar and must be imported from the UAE. High demand has led to a GCC-wide shortage of barges able to import the material, and the UAE had also imposed restrictions on sales of rock. The environmental impact of the port’s development has also had to be controlled, but corals, sea grass and mangroves that could have been damaged by the dredging works have successfully been relocated.