CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal now fully operational
After seven record years of operational growth, Abu Dhabi Ports flagship Khalifa Port is set for further expansion, the company revealed recently.
Abu Dhabi Ports will invest AED 2.2bn (US$ 600mn) in the development of South Quay and Khalifa Port Logistics, as well as AED 1.6bn (US$ 436mn) expansion at Abu Dhabi Terminals.
The South Quay development which will be completed by Q1-2021 is composed of a three km quay-wall with 18.5m along-side draft for general cargo, Ro-Ro and bulk usage. It will also include eight berths, and 1.3mn sqm of terminal yard.
The Khalifa Logistics expansion, for multi-purpose usage, will encompass a 3.1km quay wall with 8m draft, 15 berths and land plots, which can be tailored to individual customers.
Phased expansion
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 2,265m 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.
CSP ADT now functional
Furthermore, after only one year, CSP (COSCO Shipping Ports) 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.
“Through strategic collaboration with partners and top industry players, such as ADT, MSC, China’s CSP, and Autoterminal Barcelona, Khalifa Port is developing in a sustainable manner and has become one of the fastest growing ports in the world,” remarked Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports.
Among Top 40
“The latest investment will see ADT take its place among the top 40 largest container terminals in the world, and positions us well for future growth,” stated Ahmed Al Mutawa, CEO, Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT).
“COSCO continues to view Abu Dhabi as a logistics and trade hub of tremendous strategic global importance, as its location bridging East and West thereby making it an important point along Belt-and-Road track in the region,” observed Naser AlBusaeedi, Deputy CEO, CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal.
“The South Quay and Khalifa Logistics expansion delivers enormous competitive advantage 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,” noted Mohamed Eidha Tannaf Al Menhali, Acting Director, Khalifa Port.
Khalifa Port currently 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.
Link to Etihad Rail
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.
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.
