Over three next six months container operations will be gradually transferred from the existing Mina Zayed port to the new terminal. Located in Taweelah, between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it has a draught of 16mtr allowing mainline vessels to call rather than merely feeder vessels. Mina Zayed, which handled 767,000teu last year, will be reserved mainly for cruise and leisure traffic.
The new port is linked to a larger Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Khizad), the two projects together representing an investment of $7.2bn. "The main target is to serve and support the long-term growth of the Abu Dhabi economy and to serve as an enabler for Kizad," commented Martijn van de Linde, chief executive of Abu Dhabi Terminals, operator of Khalifa Port.
Khalifa Port is expected to grow to a total capacity of 15m teu of containers and 35m tons of general cargo by 2030, and will be the first port in the UAE with purpose-built rail access, expected in 2016. [01/09/12]
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