HAMAD PORT, Qatar (Reuters) – Qatar inaugurated a new $7.4 billion port along its Gulf coast on Tuesday that officials said would become a regional transport hub and help shield its economy against sanctions enforced by neighbouring Arab states. The Hamad port, 40km south of Doha, is one of the largest such facilities in the Middle East. Since Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) severed ties with Qatar in June, the port has been receiving large quantities of food and building materials for construction projects including stadiums for the 2022 soccer World Cup. The isolation of Qatar over Doha’s alleged support for militants has raised concerns that projects could be delayed if supplies from the Far East and South Asia are choked. But officials on Tuesday said Hamad port would allow Qatar to get around the sanctions by importing goods directly from countries such as […]