Container handling at Abu Dhabi ports rose by 34 per cent in 2007 compared to the previous year and the amount of goods coming into the emirate surged 17 per cent.
Of the growing number of imported goods, vehicles topped the list with a 20 per cent increase over 2006. Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Mannai, revealed the figures on the second anniversary of the company.
In addition to cargo, the emirate also saw booming tourism. In the past two years, the number of annual visitors disembarking at the emirate's ports grew by 500 per cent. And in the first quarter of 2008, there were 43,554 tourists who docked.
Al Mannai credited the boom in footfalls to local and foreign travel agencies and he projected further growth in the coming years.
"Our ambition to enhance the ADPC's performance during next few years is high. The ADPC has a real challenge going ahead – to develop port services and maintain and enhance success rates that have been achieved since the set up of the company."
In a speech marking the ceremony, Nasser Al Sowaidi, Chairman of the ADPC, said while Abu Dhabi is seeing unprecedented development in all fields, the transportation sector is importance because it is the emirate's economic gateway.
Of the growing number of imported goods, vehicles topped the list with a 20 per cent increase over 2006. Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Mannai, revealed the figures on the second anniversary of the company.
In addition to cargo, the emirate also saw booming tourism. In the past two years, the number of annual visitors disembarking at the emirate's ports grew by 500 per cent. And in the first quarter of 2008, there were 43,554 tourists who docked.
Al Mannai credited the boom in footfalls to local and foreign travel agencies and he projected further growth in the coming years.
"Our ambition to enhance the ADPC's performance during next few years is high. The ADPC has a real challenge going ahead – to develop port services and maintain and enhance success rates that have been achieved since the set up of the company."
In a speech marking the ceremony, Nasser Al Sowaidi, Chairman of the ADPC, said while Abu Dhabi is seeing unprecedented development in all fields, the transportation sector is importance because it is the emirate's economic gateway.