Qatar resumes maritime navigation and restores sea trade with Iran

Dubai: Qatar has lifted its temporary suspension on maritime navigation, allowing all vessels to resume normal operations with immediate effect after nearly a week of restrictions, as regional shipping activity continues to recover following last month's ceasefire agreement.

In a statement posted on X on Sunday, Qatar's Ministry of Transport said maritime navigation had resumed for all types of vessels and ships from the date of the announcement. The ministry urged maritime operators to continue complying with existing regulations and safety instructions to ensure secure voyages.

The decision reverses a June 29 advisory that suspended sailing and fishing activities until further notice, while exempting commercial shipping.

The announcement came as maritime trade between Iran and Qatar also resumed after an approximately five-month interruption, according to Reuters. 

Abbas Abdolkhani, Iran's commercial attaché in Doha, told Iranian state media that shipping between Iran's Dayyer Port and Qatar's Al Ruwais Port had restarted following coordination between the Iranian embassy in Doha and Qatari authorities.

The two ports, located on opposite sides of the Gulf, primarily serve regional trade. Dayyer Port sustained repeated strikes during the four-month conflict.

The reopening follows an interim agreement signed last month between Tehran and Washington that formally ended hostilities and called for maritime traffic in the Gulf to return to pre-war levels. However, transit into and out of the Gulf remains subject to ongoing challenges.

Signs of broader commercial recovery have also emerged elsewhere in the region. In late June, an official from Iran's Trade Promotion Organisation said Iranian goods had begun clearing through Jebel Ali Port once again, signalling a gradual restoration of trade links between Iran and the Gulf states.