Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Chairman of the Federal Transport Authority -Land and Maritime, has praised the UAE leadership for extending support to the maritime transport sector which he said fills a key role in the nation’s economy.

In a statement today, he said the UAE has one of the world's fastest growing economies thanks to the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Their Highnesses, Members of the Supreme Council and Rulers of the Emirates, who continue the journey of generous giving and development established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE and its modernity.

Al Nuaimi stated that the UAE's 2021 national agenda aims to achieve a sustainable environment for quality of air, protection of water resources, increase clean energy and implement green development.

For the infrastructure sector, the national agenda aims to establish the UAE as the first country globally in terms quality of infrastructure of airports, seaports, and roads. The agenda will seek to improve the quality of electricity consumption and telecommunications to make the UAE amongst the best countries in the e-service sector.

He added that the UAE is ranked first regionally and third globally in terms of quality of seaports infrastructure, and is ranked sixth globally in terms of seaports structure according to the Global Competitiveness Index 2014-2015. This demonstrates the large effort and achievements made in the seaports sector in the recent years.

The minister assured that the maritime transport sector in the UAE has witnessed remarkable improvements in terms of seaports, and operating, maintenance and construction of ships and dry docks, as well as finance and insurance according to the global principles of maritime safety, protection of marine environment and preserving maritime security. The UAE has been ranked for several consecutive years as the first regionally and tenth globally in the field of cross-border commerce.

He added that the present expansions of Jebel Ali Port and Khalifa Port, the development of ports in Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras al-Khaimah has contributed towards achieving a high global ranking in the seaport sector.

"The UAE’s reliance on development of various types of transport terminals assists in making the nation an international player in global and regional trade. Continuing the development and improvements in infrastructure and services of the UAE’s ports aim to achieving the government’s vision to make the UAE a global pioneer."

The Minister explained that the continuous investment strategy in the development of port infrastructure enabled DP World to provide through Jebel Ali Port a pivotal gateway to local and regional trade.

The UAE seeks to have largest cruise ports in the region, thanks to its infrastructure that is capable to receive cruise ships and the volume of tourists heading to the emirate through the port, as well as the development of bulk and break bulk cargo management systems.

He noted that the UAE’s ports are amongst the world's largest ports as they include the latest equipment and capabilities for shipping and unloading. UAE ports account for 60% of GCC total containerisation after becoming a global maritime trade hub.

Al Nuaimi said, "We must continue to develop and improve the infrastructure and services of UAE ports to achieve the government’s vision of the UAE as a pioneer nation.

Seaports are the nation’s gateway to the world. They are the points where transportation departures and arrives to commute passengers and global trade. With the exception of oil ports, the UAE features 12 active commercial ports, which are: Al-Ruwais, Mina Zayed, Jebel Ali, Mina Rashid, Khor Dubai, Al-Hamriya, Ajman, Um al-Quwain, Saqr, and Fujairah. They contain more than 310 berths with a total length of 45 kilometers and gross capacity of 80 million tons."

Modern management of these ports essentially contributes towards improving their ranking as critical infrastructure, a key role in the development and prosperity of economic and commercial traffic in the UAE.

These ports, the minister said, undergo continuous development projects to cope with the economic growth in the UAE.

The following is information about UAE seaports, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure Development: Abu Dhabi Ports Mina Khalifa and Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) manages 10 trade, logistic, social and leisure ports. It is also responsible for the development of Khalifa Industrial Zone (Kizad) within its active contribution to diversify Abu Dhabi’s and UAE’s economy. ADPC strives to activate maritime trade by exploiting modern technologies and procuring the latest infrastructure within its ports. ADPC’s long-term vision achieves operational integration and connectivity to global markets through Khalifa Port. It also seeks to enhance the role of Mina Zayed as vital port servicing city center, develop the logistic port of Mussafah to service the industrial sector, and improve the Western Region’s social ports to support their developing economies and achieve diversity of income for local communities, therefore, contributing into Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.

With a total area of 9 square-kilometers, Port Khalifa is one of the most modern ports of Abu Dhabi. The port’s dock is designed to accommodate the largest ships existing today. Port Khalifa was officially inaugurated by the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on 12th December 2012. Since its opening, Port Khalifa achieved several remarkable achievements and is ranked with the world’s greatest seaports. It was ranked third globally in terms of productivity in 2015, and the first regionally. The port includes the region’s first semi-automated container terminal, which also contributed to achieving some of the best growth rates in the region’s history.

Port Khalifa’s container terminal has one of the faster lorries turnaround times not exceeding 12.5 minutes. This enhances the terminal’s productivity in order to achieve larger container traffic every year. The port’s container terminal received several world prizes acknowledging ADPC’s efforts to direct its investments into possessing high-tech infrastructure to serve its goals, effectively achieving economic diversification and improving the UAE’s non-oil per capita income.

Today Port Khalifa operates with a gross capacity of 2.5 million TEUs annually and 12 million tons of general cargo fulfilling phase 1 of the port’s development. ADPC equipped the port with advanced and expandable infrastructure according to the market’s demand. When all phases of development are complete, the port is forecasted to operate with 12 million TEUs and 35 million tons of general cargo. Khalifa Industrial Zone (Kizad) fulfils the needs of a wide variety of investments and offers advanced services to support business. Kizad is connected with Port Khalifa through operational integration. Kizad’s Hot Metal Road was specifically constructed to respond to the needs of aluminum industries. Furthermore, Kizad established a road specifically dedicated to transporting massive structures between the Industrial Zone and Port Khalifa. It was also designed to hold several integrated industrial blocks serving economies with reduced operational costs.

Zayed Port Zayed Port is the first and oldest commercial deep-water ports in Abu Dhabi, and has witnessed the emirate’s development and played a key role in building its economy being one of its crucial trade engines. Forty years from its official inauguration in 1972 and after reaching its maximum capacity and transferring all of its container traffic and cargo to the new Khalifa Port, Mina Zayed continues its instrumental role in Abu Dhabi’s development. The port contains a major luxury cruise ship terminal and is a magnet to the world’s biggest cruise ship operators. By the time the permanent building of the terminal was opened in 2015, the prestigious Middle East Navigation Company chose Port Zayed as a departure point for its cruises to the region’s ports for the 2015-2016 cruise season. Abu Dhabi Ports Company implements improvements to Zayed Port in order to continue receiving general cargo. The port’s strategic location at the center of Abu Dhabi and proximity to the local trade markets, provide services to the trade traffic in the emirate. Similarly, Zayed Port meets the needs of maritime field companies, service providers and multipurpose projects.

Mussafah Port Mussafah Port is one of Abu Dhabi’s logistic deep-water ports servicing a large industrial area that include several heavy industries such as steel works and metal structure industries, as well as other various areas such as wood and equipment storage areas. In collaboration with other government authorities, Abu Dhabi Ports took possession of Mussafah’s new channel. With over 53 kilometers in length, Mussafah channel is one of the busiest marine channels in the world with marine traffic of over 90 per day.

Mussafah Port also includes the first maritime training center in the region, which is acknowledged by international authorities as the first maritime and navigation training institute to be accommodating the latest simulation systems. The institute offers world-class courses accredited and approved by Lloyd’s Register.

Dubai Creek Port Less than 50 years ago, Dubai Creek was only a thin waterway with some sand dunes and shallow waters unsuitable for marine transportation. Ships were impeded by the flow of currents and tide. The creek was later developed, cleaned and expanded. Several berths were constructed on the creek’s sides, as well as wave breakers at its entry. The creek has become one of Dubai’s instrumental ports for dhows, which are vital for the re-export traffic into the ports of other emirates and adjacent Gulf ports, in addition to India’s and Pakistan’s ports.

Mina Rashid Dubai’s creek was the reason to its commercial prosperity, but the emirate’s trade position has been cemented by its modern seaport. Port Rashid was officially established by the late Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, whose directives provided the port with the latest utilities and commercial facilities. After his decision to expand the creek, the late Sheikh Rashid decreed Port Rashid project in 1969. The port soon became one of the busiest container traffic ports in the region throughout the 90’s and 00’s. after transferring all container traffic to Jebel Ali Port in 2007, Port Rashid became a historic magnet to luxury cruises and prestigious cruise liners in the region.

After opening Hamdan Bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal, Port Rashid’s capacity increased to accommodate 7 large cruisers transporting 25000 passengers per day. A new marina project for luxury yachts has also been launched. Expansion plans of the port will provide world-class recreational area that reflects the deeply-rooted heritage of Dubai and support its position as regional cruise pioneer, as well as reintegrate Port Rashid’s marine front with the local community.

Jebel Ali Port The Port of Jebel Ali in Dubai was opened in February 1979. Today, the port provides access to markets of over 2 billion per capita. Owned by DP World, Jebel Ali Port is an integrated hub supplemented with various maritime, land and air transport routes and supported with large logistic facilities. Chosen as the world’s fastest containerization port in 2015, the port offers over 90 marine service per week connecting the region with over 140 ports worldwide. Its capacity is forecasted to increase from 17 million TEUs (20 feet) today to 22.1 million TEUs by the completion of expansion projects in 2018, with over 110 of the world’s biggest dock cranes.

Jebel Ali Port serves a vital role in servicing the global markets through over 180 shipping lines. It is equipped with 23 berths and 87 dock cranes to meet the needs of the world’s largest container ships. In 2015 Jebel Ali Port achieved a new record of 6.15 million in container traffic.

Port of Jebel Ali is the only port in East Asia ranked in the top 10 world’s biggest seaports, consisting of the world’s largest man-made harbor.

Port Khalid The year 1960 witnessed the launch of the first construction phase of Sharjah’s first port, Port Khalid. Equipped with one dock, the commercial traffic in the port started to bloom. In 1970, plans were made to build a seaport for Sharjah to cope the fast-paced commercial traffic. Sharjah government started implementing its development plans of the port in 1974 by constructing the first waves breaker and completing the construction of Berth 1. In 1976, Berth 2 was finished and the surrounding area was equipped with necessary warehouses to preserve incoming cargo. Port Khalid contains 12 deep-water berths with container and loading services, and shipping facilities. The port provides 2 container berths of 573 meters in length each and 10.5-11.5 meter depth. The berths are equipped with two loading/unloading cranes to handle all types of import and export cargo.

Khorfakkan Port Through the Arabian Gulf, 60% of the world’s oil needs are transported. It is also vital for commercial transport, being a main path for the surrounding states. Several seaports are constructed on the Arabian Gulf, receiving over 80% of their external trade volume. Overlooking the eastern coast, Khorfakkan Port became more important in the recent years as a natural port in the Oman Gulf. The port provides a chance to shorten distances, reduce costs and avoid the risk of passing through the Strait of Hormuz under war conditions. Besides being a natural port, it is also surrounded with mountains stopping currents and waves. The port is 42 feet deep and contains two berths for the container terminal of 430 meter total length, 12 meter depth and 100000 square meter area. The berths are equipped with two 41-ton capacity gantry cranes, 4 41-ton capacity winches, massive equipment, 180-ton capacity transport helicopter for manual loading and unloading.

Al-Hamriya Port Sharjah’s third port after Port Khalid and Khorfakkan Port, services oil and gas tankers from land fields in the emirate. The port is capable of accommodating some of the world’s largest natural liquid gas tankers with capacity of 85 square meter and port depth of 15 meters.

Al-Fujairah Port Al-Fujairah Port enjoys a strategic location on the UAE’s coast on the Indian Ocean outside the Strait of Hurmuz and adjacent to the marine routes connecting east to west.

This strategic location attracts several multipurpose port users. A large number of ships anchor at Al-Fujairah Port seeking containerization services as well as refueling and resupplying. Al-Fujairah Port is one of the largest refueling stations in the region, saving ships 24 hours of entering into the waters of the Arabian Gulf – 124 miles.

Thanks to the distinguished location, the containerization terminal in Al-Fujairah Port offers to continually-increasing transit shipping liners excellent platform of services for the entire Gulf, Indian Subcontinent, Pakistan, as well as ports on the Gulf, the Red Sea and East Africa.

The containerization terminal occupies over 200 thousand square meters, and offers large capacity and critical location outside the Strait of Hurmuz. Al-Fujairah Port enjoys a capacity for development to become a main offshore transit facility, and represents a door to the Arabian Gulf and a central point on the Indian Ocean that connects trade lines between north, south, east and west.

Umm Al Qaiwain Port Ahmad Bin Rashid Port in Umm Al Qaiwain Port is located on the western coast of the UAE and is considered one of its famous and oldest ports. The port witnessed ages of prosper trade and has been recently developed and equipped with the latest equipment. It contains four 845 meter berths surrounded with a backyard occupying 400 thousand square meters. The port was supplemented with a free zone that offers several facilitation, benefits and privileges to encourage establishing industrial and commercial projects in the area.

Ajman Port Ajman Port was established in 1979 and is considered Ajman’s only gateway. The port is 5000 meters in length and includes several berths recently constructed for container traffic as well as handling various types of general cargo. Statistics show an increase in the total number of imported and exported goods from/to Ajman Port.

Saqr Port Saqr Port is located 14 kilometers from Ras Al-Khaimah in Khor Khwair. Construction started in the port in 1977, and since then was equipped with eight 200 meters berths each and 12.2 depth. Stone, white and black cement as well as other cargo are exported through Saqr Port.

Free Zones A number of UAE’s ports offer special services to attract industrial investments by establishing free zones, such is the case for Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Marine authorities in other emirates seek to expand the scale of services offered in their ports. The Department of Seaports – Abu Dhabi plans to expand the services offered in Zayed Port Free Zone by offering 150 plots to importers in order to establish storage areas and suitable warehouses for imported and exported goods. Jebel Ali Port Free Zone in Dubai, opened in 1985, increases the number of licenses provided by the Free Zone Authority to multi-national companies to benefit from the zone’s services.

Source:WAM