Saturday, Aug 27, 2016

Abu Dhabi: Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi will be expanded to handle more cargo, Abu Dhabi Ports announced on Saturday.

As per the plans, Abu Dhabi Ports will add a 1000-metre quay wall to Khalifa Port and deepen its channel and basin to 18 metres to accommodate the world’s largest container and cargo ships for the first time in Abu Dhabi.

The new measures will increase the competitiveness of the emirate as a logistic and maritime hub while also serving key industries across the UAE, Abu Dhabi Ports said.

The new quay wall will add an additional 600,000 square metres for cargo handling.

“Building on recent growth at Khalifa Port, we are future proofing our operations to ensure we can continue to attract the world’s leading operators to use our world-class facilities that will see Capesize vessels, the largest in the cargo industry, come directly into an Abu Dhabi port for the very first time,” Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports said in a statement.

“Over the past few years we have invested in building an integrated, technology enabled platform and physical infrastructure for our customers to become an enabler for key business sectors in line with the Abu Dhabi Plan and Vision 2030. Today sees us take this to the next level as a maritime centre and as the gateway to the world’s fastest growing economies,” he added.

Contract

Abu Dhabi Ports has signed a contract with National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC) on dredging the channels and to build the new 1000-metre-long quay wall and the adjacent yard behind it. The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2018.

Khalifa Port’s current capacity is 2.5 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units/containers) and 12 million tonnes of general cargo. Further phases of development will occur as market demand requires, according to Abu Dhabi Ports.

When all phases are complete, Khalifa Port will be able to handle 15 million TEUs and 35 million tonnes of general cargo per year.

Growth

During the first quarter of 2016, Abu Dhabi Ports has attained double-digit growth in two major cargo sectors.

Roll-on-roll-off (RoRo) traffic at Khalifa Port witnessed a 31 per cent increase with 33,687 vehicles, up from 25,709 vehicles in the same period in 2015 while general and bulk cargo across Abu Dhabi Ports saw a 13 per cent upturn, and stood at 3.98 million freight tonnes (FT), as compared to 3.5 million FT registered in the first quarter of 2015.

Earlier this month, Abu Dhabi Ports signed a long-term contract with Abu Dhabi Ship Building to establish a ship repair facility and floating dock at Zayed Port to boost maritime trade in the emirate.

Staff Report

Gulf News 2016. All rights reserved.