Five new ship-to-shore (STS) cranes have been delivered according to Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT). The cranes are said to be integral to plans to increase cargo handling capacity at Khalifa Port Container Terminal (KPCT) to five million TEU (twenty foot-equivalent units) by the end of 2020.
ADT is the management company and operator of KPCT. The latter is billed as the region’s first semi-automated terminal and one of the most technically advanced.
The STS cranes are said to be among the largest in the world and will play a key role in ADT’s technologically advanced operational ecosystem at Khalifa Port, the flagship semi-automated deep-water port owned by Abu Dhabi Ports Group.
“Thanks to the wise strategic guidance of the leadership’s Economic Vision 2030, Abu Dhabi Terminals at Khalifa Port is well positioned to complete its expansion in record time and ahead of schedule, validating our commitment to becoming one of the leading container terminal operators in the world. As Abu Dhabi’s gateway to the world, Khalifa Port continues to surpass world-class performance benchmarks, and through its growth is playing a vital role in contributing to creating prosperity and opportunity for all those within the UAE,” said Captain Mohamad Juma Al Shamisi, group CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports and chairman of Abu Dhabi Terminals.
He added, “Offering world class levels of operational performance through continuous investment in our maritime assets and infrastructure enables Abu Dhabi to position its economy to reap the benefits of future non-oil growth for years to come.”
Ahmad Al Mutawa, Abu Dhabi Terminals CEO remarked, “The purchase and delivery of these cranes demonstrates how continuous investment in our infrastructure and technology, helps us exceed customer expectations by constantly delivering the most efficient operational performance. Our current expansion project of Khalifa Port Container Terminal sets a new benchmark for container terminal expansion in the region, and ensures that ADT can continue to deliver world class levels of operational performance to our partners, customers and shareholders well into the future.”
ADT says it purchased the cranes from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. (ZMPC) in China. The milestone follows the recent arrival of a batch of Automated Stacking Cranes which are also part of the expansion project, taking the total number of cranes at the terminal to 22, ADT noted.
