UAE: Khalifa Port to Open on September 1st

In a milestone highlighting the intensive and full scale tests being carried out before the September 1st launch of Khalifa Port, the only semi-automated container terminal in the region, Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) and its port operator Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT), have announced the historic arrival of the first-ever commercial container vessel to call at the port.

The vessel, Ever Dynamic, from Evergreen Line with a total capacity of 4,173 TEUs (Twenty foot Equivalent container Units) sailed from Shanghai and arrived safely at Khalifa Port on July 18th. Senior representatives from ADPC, ADT, Evergreen Line as well as VIPs from government and private sectors welcomed the vessel as part of the ongoing full scale trials at Khalifa Port.

Captain Mohamed Al Shamisi, Executive Vice President, Ports’ Unit, ADPC said, “The arrival of the vessel at Khalifa Port today bears witness to the fact that the port’s container terminal is fully prepared and on track to start operations on September 1st. The port has undergone extensive and very stringent testing procedures to ensure it operates as per world-class port standards. Today’s milestone is a culmination of hard work and the joint efforts of teams from ADPC, ADT, and key stakeholders working on this proud national project.”

Martijn Van de Linde, CEO, ADT, said: “Today marks an important landmark as part of the on-going development and operational trials at Khalifa Port and more importantly in handling our first mainline vessel.

It is the culmination of many years of hard work and preparation that we welcome the Ever Dynamic, the first direct mainline call from the Far East. It heralds a new era in our maritime history, by offering our customers and trade direct access to overseas markets and in establishing Khalifa Port as a leading hub in the region.

During the course of the coming months we will continue to transition and test with individual shipping lines with the aim of officially opening Khalifa Port’s new container terminal on September 1st.”

Khalifa Port is now able to service the world’s largest seagoing container vessels – unlike Mina Zayed, the Abu Dhabi city centre port, which it is replacing.

Phase One of the Khalifa Port Container Terminal will initially handle 2.5 million TEUs container traffic and 12 million tons of general cargo annually. By 2030, it is expected that Khalifa Port will be able to handle 15 million TEUs and 35 million tons of general cargo per year.

The port’s strategic location will serve as a dedicated enabler for the adjacent Kizad (Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi), also operated by ADPC, offering the Industrial Zone’s tenants ease of access to global markets. Kizad is destined to grow into one of the largest industrial sites in the world.

Khalifa Port also stands out as the only one in the Middle East and North Africa that is equipped with a semi-automated container yard, which is designed to cater for the future needs of the transportation sector and industrial sectors in the Emirate, and beyond. The port covers a wide area, measuring 9 square kilometres, including the 2.7 square kilometres man-made port island.

“Khalifa Port is a huge investment by Abu Dhabi, offering customers from the region and other parts of the world a one-stop shop for container business, providing bespoke solutions that meet and exceed their expectations. We look forward to building to full capacity over several phases in the future,” Captain Al Shamisi concluded.

[mappress]

Dredging Today Staff, July 23, 2012; Image: adpc