Abu Dhabi Ports announced Wednesday a further AED3.8 billion ($1 billion) expansion in Khalifa Port by 2021 as it looks to boost capacity.
It will invest AED2.2 billion in developing the South Quay and Khalifa Port Logistics, as well as the AED1.6 billion expansion at Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT).
The South Quay development comprises a three km quay-wall with 18.5 meters alongside draft for general cargo, ro-ro, and bulk usage.
It will also include eight berths and 1.3 million square meters of the terminal yard.
The Khalifa Logistics expansion, for multi-purpose usage, will encompass a 3.1 km quay wall with an eight-meter draft, 15 berths, and land plots, which can be tailored to individual customers.
Planned to be implemented on several phases, phase one of the South Quay expansion will be completed by Q4 of 2020 while Phase two 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 AED3.2 billion to the Emirate’s GDP by 2025.
With this capacity expansion project in place, Khalifa Port will see its container handling capacity jump from the current five million to 7.5 million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs), which sets it firmly on the path towards its nine million TEU milestone over the next five years.
"As global trade volumes increase over time, the world’s leading port operators must think decades ahead in their planning and execution,” said Group CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports Capt. Mohamed Juma al-Shamisi.
Through strategic collaboration with partners and top industry players, such as ADT, MSC, China’s CSP, and Autoterminal Barcelona, Khalifa Port is developing on a sustainable basis and has become one of the world’s fastest-growing ports.
CEO of ADT Ahmed Al-Mutawa said the latest investment will see ADT take its place among the top 40 largest container terminals in the world and positions it well for future growth.
