UAE President opens Dhs4 billion South Quay project at Khalifa Port

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, inaugurated the Khalifa Port expansion project, at a total cost of Dhs4 billion.

Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed heard from Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Ports Group, and Captain Mohammed Juma Al Shamsi, Managing Director and CEO of the Abu Dhabi Ports Group, an explanation about the expansions witnessed by Khalifa Port since its opening ten years ago and the most important future plans for the port as it is one of the most important ports in the region.

Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed toured the new areas of the port and the logistics services it provides in the export and import movement.

Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed said, “The opening of the new South Quay at Khalifa Port is an important addition to our country’s ports infrastructure. Its establishment builds upon the longstanding role that the UAE’s trade and logistics capabilities have played in our nation’s progress and development.”

The President also said, "The Khalifa Port Expansion Project is one of the qualitative national projects, which constitutes an important addition to the country's ports and logistical services and enhances the UAE's position in the global trade movement."

Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed pointed out that Khalifa Port and other ports of the country are a tributary. An important tributary of the development and diversification of the national economy.

The inauguration of the Khalifa Port is another major achievement for which the Abu Dhabi Ports Group is proud and is in addition to a series of successes it achieved during the current year, which were represented by its listing on the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange, the opening of new commercial lines, the completion of a set of acquisition deals, and a radical transformation of its business.

The Khalifa Port expansion project included the development of the southern berth, the logistics area and Abu Dhabi Ports, with a total investment of Dhs4 billion, which contributed to expanding the port area from 2.43 to 8.63 square kilometers, while the length of the quay wall increased from 2.3 to 12.5 kilometers.

This ambitious project includes 21 berths and has the necessary capabilities to provide customized services to key strategic sectors, making it among the most prominent deep-water ports in the world, with an estimated value of Dhs20.4 billion.The project provides an important addition to the efforts of the Abu Dhabi Ports Group to increase the capacity of Khalifa Port to reach 15 million standard containers and 25 million tonnes of general cargo by 2030.

The late Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan had officially inaugurated Khalifa Port on December 12, 2012, after its construction on a piece of land established at a depth of four kilometers in the sea. Today, it has become a major center for more than 25 container-shipping lines. It provides direct connectivity channels with more than 70 international destinations.

The port is ranked among the top five ports in the world on the Global Container Ports Performance Index (CPPI) issued by the World Bank and the Global Market Intelligence Unit of Standard & Poor's.
Khalifa Port also hosts three out of the four largest shipping companies in the world, which are COSCO Shipping, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and CMA CGM.

Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Ports Group, said: “We are honoured that Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed inaugurated the Khalifa Port expansion project, which is one of the vital national projects that embody the wise leadership’s keenness to consolidate the position of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the state of Abu Dhabi. The United Arab Emirates is generally on the world trade map.

He added, "Khalifa Port represents one of the most developed deep-water ports in the world and plays a major role in consolidating the position of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi at the forefront of global trade. Further progress and prosperity," he said,
"We celebrate in this event the great ambition and success of our beloved country, which were achieved thanks to the wise directives of our wise leadership. In this context, we at Abu Dhabi Ports Group continue to achieve growth and remarkable results thanks to our expertise and focus on the global market."