UAE: Khalifa Port Welcomes CBP Officials

Khalifa Port Welcomes CBP Officials

Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has hosted a visit from senior officials at US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The visit which took place on Sunday 9 February was led by Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi CEO, ADPC.

The VIP visitors included US Commissioner Thomas Winkowski, and other senior members of staff from the organization.

The guests were shown around all aspects of the emirates state of the art flagship Khalifa Port, including the Documentation Center, the Khalifa Port Customs Facilities, the Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and the Terminal Operations Building.

H.E Mohammed Khalifa Al Fahad Almehairi, General Director of Abu Dhabi Customs, Abdulkareem Al Masabi, Vice President Khalifa Port and Martijn Van De Linde, CEO Abu Dhabi Terminals also attended the visit which also discussed issues relating to enhanced security and trade between the two countries.

The visit offered an opportunity to demonstrate the state of the art facilities and technology at the port which, alongside the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi, is an important element in the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.

Background

Khalifa Port is crucial to the ADPC megaproject which includes Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad), whose Area A consists of 51 square kilometres.

Khalifa Port offers direct access for all companies setting up in Kizad. The megaproject will create more than 100,000 jobs, contributing 15% of the Emirate’s non-oil GDP by 2030.

Designed with a 16 metres draft and a four kilometres quay wall, Khalifa Port features the latest technology and is capable of accommodating the largest container ships.

The initial annual capacity of the port’s first phase is 2.5 million TEU’s of container traffic and 12 million tons of general cargo.

Through phased development the port is designed to grow to a capacity of 15 million TEU’s container traffic and 35 million tons of general cargo by 2030.

The offshore Port has been constructed on a reclaimed Port Island with an offshore area extending over 2.7 square kilometres and the Container Terminal situated more than four kilometres out to sea. This is to help protect the Ras Ghanada coral reef, adjacent to the onshore port areas. ADPC spent AED 880 Million (USD 240 million) building the 8 kilometre-long Environmental Protection Breakwater that helps protects the marine life and coral reef.

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Press Release, February 13, 2014