After seven record years of operational growth, Abu Dhabi Ports flagship Khalifa Port is set for further expansion, say company executives, the company said in its release.
Khalifa Port, strategically situated halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, was officially inaugurated on 12.12.12 by the President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Of particular note is the investment of AED 2.2Bn in the development of South Quay and Khalifa Port Logistics, as well as AED 1.6Bn expansion at Abu Dhabi Terminals.
The South Quay development which will be completed by Q1 of 2021 is composed of a three km quay-wall with 18.5 metres along-side draft for general cargo, ro-ro and bulk usage. It will also include eight berths, and 1.3Mn square metres of terminal yard.
The Khalifa Logistics expansion, for multi-purpose usage, will encompass a 3.1km quay wall with 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 2020, while Phase 2 and the Khalifa Logistics expansion will be completed by Q1 2021. These two expansion projects will create more than 2,800 direct and indirect jobs and contribute more than AED 3.2Bn 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 2.5Mn to 5Mn TEUs. Additionally, the new investment will include significant technological advancements, such as fully automated truck loading and discharge.
With this capacity expansion project in place, Khalifa Port will see its container handling capacity jump from current 5Mn to 7.5Mn TEUs, which sets it firmly on the path towards its 9Mn TEU milestone over the next five years.
Furthermore, after only one year, CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal has now shifted from its trial operation phase to being commercially fully operational.
The deep-water, semi-automated container terminal includes the largest Container Freight Station in the Middle East and positions Abu Dhabi as the regional base for COSCO’s global network of 37 ports.