THE redirection of containers from Abu Dhabi's older Mina Zayed port to the new Khalifa port began two months ahead of schedule supporting the city's growth and a move away from over-reliance on oil revenue, reports the New York Times.
THE port and adjacent Kizad industrial zone was built on an offshore artificial island in Taweelah, 60 kilometres east of Abu Dhabi and halfway to Dubai at a cost of US$7.2 billion to the state.
The port's annual capacity is 2.5 million TEU, and with its second phase, this willdouble in three to five years against the city's older port of Mina Zayed with its 800,000 TEU capacity.
The migration of containerships from Mina Zayed which will eventually become a hub for cruise liners supports the second largest city in the emirate's move to diversify away from oil into areas such as aluminum, glass and steel, said the port operator Abu Dhabi Ports CEO Tony Douglas.
It aims to increase its gross domestic product to $400 billion by 2030 from today's $100 billion with only 40 per cent related to oil and gas, Mr Douglas said.
"So it's switching the 60-40 ratio of oil dependence around while increasing GDP fourfold, largely by targeting non-oil-related fields, like the industrial sector, which is of greatest interest to us," he added.
The port's technology is the first of its kind in the Middle East able to move containers to trucks by automated stacking cranes via a control centre which allows for automated switch offs should a problem occur.
It also benefits from low operating costs - unlike Europe - integrated transport system with easy access to airports, proximity to roads and an ability to handle heavy rail unlike competitors such as Jubail, Saudi Arabia.
It is a strong enough competitor "as a key regional transport and re-export hub" to its main rival Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, said IHS Global Insight analyst for Middle East, Jamie Ingram in the report.
PORTS
03 December 2012 - 23:15
Abu Dhabi's Khalifa port begins box transfer ahead of 2013 launch
THE redirection of containers from Abu Dhabi's older Mina Zayed port to the new Khalifa port began two months ahead of schedule supporting the city's growth
PORTS
03 December 2012 - 23:15
Abu Dhabi's Khalifa port begins box transfer ahead of 2013 launch
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