In a ceremony presided over by the president of the UAE, sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the $1.1bn Khalifa Port Expansion project has been celebrated.
During the ceremony, sheikh Mohamed noted that the expansion the cost of which is equivalent to AED 4 billion is a major national project. Furthermore, he said it is considered to be an important addition to the UAE’s ports and logistics services.
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The project expansion featured the development of the port’s South Quay as well as the Khalifa Port Logistics. Additionally, the expansion also included the development of the Abu Dhabi terminals. The Khalifa Port Logistics was upgraded from 2.43 kilometers squared to 8.63 kilometers squared. Meanwhile, the quay wall is subject to an extension from 2.3 kilometers well up to 12.5 kilometers.
Owing to the expansion, Khalifa Port now provides 21 berths and offers a range of bespoke services for key strategic industries. This has positioned it among the global elite of deep-water ports, with an estimated value of $5.6bn (AED20.4bn).
Development of Khalifa Port
Initially, the Khalifa Port‘s development began from a stretch of land that was 4 kilometers out to sea. Currently, the Khalifa Port is a major hub that serves more than 25 container shipping lines. Furthermore, the port boasts direct links to well over 70 international destinations.
Moreover, it ranks amongst the top five of the global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), developed by S&P Global Market Intelligence and the World Bank. Additionally, the port hosts a total of three of the world’s top four shipping operators, COSCO, CMA CGM, CSP, and MSC.
The Chairman of AD Ports Group also spoke during the project’s inauguration ceremony. Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi noted that the national project will help support the direction of positioning the UAE at the frontier of global trade. Without a doubt, he continued, the Khalifa Port stands as one of the most advanced deep-water ports, worldwide.