São Paulo – Container throughput at Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Port was up 32% in 2015 from 2014. Last year, the facility handled 1,504,293 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). The announcement was made this Wednesday (6) by local operator Abu Dhabi Ports.
Roll-on-roll-off (RORO) traffic was 27% higher than in 2014 at 134,272 vehicles. In a statement, the company said all RORO operations were transferred to Khalifa Port from Zayed Port to meet rising demand. Abu Dhabi Ports also reported that better yard and terminal facilities, and services at Khalifa Port have contributed to the upsurge in volumes.
General and bulk cargo traffic also grew at the emirate’s ports, to 15,310,847 million freight tons, up 20% from the year before. Abu Dhabi Ports notes that the surge in general and bulk cargo volumes across Abu Dhabi Ports indicates rising import and export activities related to industrial and infrastructure development projects in the emirate.
Abu Dhabi welcomed 170,360 cruise passengers in 2015, up 16% from 2014. Abu Dhabi Ports expects the recently launched Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, a premier cruise hub at Zayed Port, to further catalyze this growth.
Abu Dhabi Ports CEO Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi said the success is due to the ongoing investments in equipment, technology and workforce capabilities.
“Abu Dhabi Ports’ business focus is to deliver value to customers by supporting their thriving businesses through its integrated services and offerings. We are proud to be in a position to support the economic growth being witnessed in the Emirate and intend to continuously invest in enabling the nation’s maritime trade and industrial development,” Al Shamisi said.
In addition to the Khalifa and Zayed facilities, the company manages AlMirfa, Mugharrag, Delma and Sir Bani Yas ports.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
