Cargo shipments at Abu Dhabi's two existing ports are expected to grow by as much as 30 per cent this year, making the opening of Khalifa Port in Taweelah all the more crucial.
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Last Updated: May 03, 2011
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Mina Zayed and Musaffah Port are expected to handle 650,000 containers this year on the back of a rise in cargoes of materials for oil and gas projects and other industrial developments in the emirate, such as Abu Dhabi Polymers, known as Borouge.
Last year, the two ports handled just over 500,000 containers, according to Martijn van de Linde, the chief executive of Abu Dhabi Terminals.
"It is a very strong performance", Mr van de Linde said, adding it indicated Mina Zayed and Musaffah were reaching maximum capacity. "It becomes all the more urgent to move to the new infrastructure at Khalifa Port in 2012."
The two ports can handle a total of 800,000 containers a year, but the terminals are set to be gradually wound down when Khalifa Port opens, slated for the fourth quarter of next year.
Redevelopment plans for Mina Zayed, on Abu Dhabi Island, include mixed-use developments for residential and commercial properties.
But Mr van de Linde said parts of the port may stay open for years.
"It will be a partial decommissioning of Mina Zayed," he said. "As we place our container business at Khalifa Port, we will decommission our container terminal at Mina Zayed.
"But that is only part of the port. We still continue to operate the bulk general cargo side of terminal, the warehouses, stores and car yard and other commodities."
No final decisions have been made by the Government on the planned Mina Zayed redevelopment.
