Abu Dhabi Ports announces Dhs3.8b expansion projects

After seven record years of operational growth, the Abu Dhabi Ports flagship Khalifa Port is set for further expansion, said company executives.

Khalifa Port, strategically situated halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, was officially inaugurated on 12th December 2012, by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Of particular note is the investment of Dhs2.2 billion in the development of South Quay and Khalifa Port Logistics, as well as the Dhs1.6 billion expansion at Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT).

The South Quay development, which will be completed by Q1 of 2021 comprises a 3km quay-wall with 18.5 metres along-side draft for general cargo, ro-ro and bulk usage. It will also include eight berths and 1.3 million square metres of the terminal yard.

The Khalifa Logistics expansion, for multi-purpose usage, will encompass a 3.1km quay wall with an 8-metre draft, 15 berths and land plots, which can be tailored to individual customers.

Phase 1 of the South Quay expansion will be completed by Q4 of 2020, while Phase 2 and the Khalifa Logistics expansion will be completed by Q1 of 2021. These two expansion projects will create more than 2,800 direct and indirect jobs and contribute more than Dhs3.2 billion to the emirate’s GDP by 2025.

The expansion at ADT will include an extension of the quay from 1,400 to 2,265 metres and an addition of 10 new ship-to-shore quay cranes effectively doubling ADT’s handling capacity from 2.5 million to 5 million TEUs.

With this capacity expansion project in place, Khalifa Port will see its container handling capacity jump from the current 5 million to 7.5 million TEUs, which sets it firmly on the path towards its 9 million TEU milestone over the next five years.

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, said, “As global trade volumes increase over time, the world’s leading port operators must think decades ahead in their planning and execution. Through strategic collaboration with partners and top industry players, such as ADT, MSC, China’s CSP, and Autoterminal Barcelona, Khalifa Port is developing sustainably and has become one of the fastest-growing ports in the world.

Ahmed Al Mutawa, CEO, ADT, said, “The latest investment of Dhs1.6 billion, which doubles our handling capacity to 5 million TEUs by 2020, will see ADT take its place among the top 40 largest container terminals in the world, and positions us well for future growth.” Naser AlBusaeedi, Deputy CEO, CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal, said, “COSCO continues to view Abu Dhabi as a logistics and trade hub of tremendous strategic global importance. We look forward to the complete optimisation of the CSP terminal, raising cargo volumes to new highs and bolstering trade between markets far and wide.”

Mohamed Eidha Tannaf Al Menhali, Acting Director, Khalifa Port, said, “The South Quay and Khalifa Logistics expansion delivers enormous competitive advantages for Khalifa Port and KIZAD, as industrial producers and cargo owners shipping to global markets value deep-water access and the ability to base operations on prime land in investor-friendly Abu Dhabi.”

Featuring state-of-the-art maritime infrastructure, including 23 (current) of the world’s largest ship-to-shore quay cranes, Khalifa Port will be the first in the UAE to be linked to the new Etihad Rail network, which is currently under construction.

At the start of June 2019, Khalifa Port became the first GCC port capable of receiving calls from fully-laden Capesize vessels at its quay. The milestone itself was inaugurated with the arrival of the Cape Taweelah coming from the Republic of Guinea carrying a shipment of bauxite ore destined for Emirates Global Aluminium’s (EGA) Al Taweelah alumina refinery.

In order for Khalifa Port to accommodate Capesize vessels, the facility’s approaches were deepened from 16.5 to 18.5 m and widened from 250 to 280 m.

Khalifa Port serves more than 25 shipping lines, offers direct links to 70 international destinations, and boasts an intermodal transport network facilitating efficient transportation and logistics across sea, road, and air.

With the ability to serve the largest ships at sea, and flexibility for future expansion, the port currently allows the handling of all of Abu Dhabi’s container traffic with a current annual capacity of 5Mn TEUs. When all development phases are completed, Khalifa Port is expected to increase its capacity for container volumes to 15Mn TEUs by 2030.

Khalifa Port is the Abu Dhabi Ports’ flagship, deepwater port built to accommodate the largest ships existing when it was built. It is a state-of-the art gateway to Abu Dhabi and handles all of the emirate’s container traffic.

WAM