(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has announced the arrival of the first batch of Super Post Panamax 'Ship to Shore' (STS) container cranes at Khalifa Port.
This marks a significant milestone for Khalifa Port as it readies for Phase 1 completion at the same time as the opening of Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) in the fourth quarter of this year.
The completion of Khalifa Port will play an instrumental role in contributing to a sustainable and growing economy. The development of seaports has been an established part of Abu Dhabi's history beginning with Mina Zayed, which has been Abu Dhabi's focal port for more than 30 years. The significant growth in demand and the necessity for handling more containers and bigger vessels faster paved the way for the evolution of a new state-of-the-art port in Abu Dhabi that will be able to meet the business demands of local, regional and international markets.
On completion in Q4 this year, the flagship Khalifa Port will be the first semi-automated port in the region. It is equipped to handle an initial capacity of two million TEU container traffic and 12 million tonnes of general cargo annually.
The arrival of the three STS cranes, which, at 44 metres high under the spreader and a lifting capacity of 110 tonnes, are among the largest of their kind in the world, signify that completion of the port island is well on schedule. The Chinese company Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co Ltd (ZPMC) is due to deliver a second batch of three cranes in Q2. ADPC celebrated the arrival with an unveiling ceremony in the presence of Chairman, Dr Sultan Al Jaber; CEO, Tony Douglas; Captain Shamisi, Vice-President of Ports, and Martijn Van de Linde, CEO of Abu Dhabi Terminals, on the port island.
Commenting on the occasion, Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, said: "I am tremendously proud to be a part of this instrumental project, which will play such a key role in Abu Dhabi's economic development and promoting new business opportunities.
Today, ports in the UAE account for 61 per cent of the trade volume among GCC countries, having seen a 13 per cent annual growth in volume in recent years and growth projections remain positive. With this remarkable, fast-paced growth, ports are striving to be more competitive, efficient and productive for their customers. Khalifa Port is an example of that - as witnessed with the official unveiling of these cranes today."
