Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT), the manager and operator of Khalifa port container terminal informs that the terminal has received a new batch of 3 of the world’s largest and most modern ship-to-shore (STS) quay cranes.

The Super Post Panamax quay cranes were produced by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. in China at a cost of US$28-million, and were transported by ship to Khalifa Port’s container terminal (claimed to be the first semi-automated container terminal in the region). Just one of these STS cranes is 126.5 meters high and weighs 1,932 tons. It has an outreach of 65 meters (22 containers) and a lifting capacity of 90 tons.

Commenting on this occasion, ADT's chief Executive officer Martijn Van De Linde says: "ADT is taking a leading role in facilitating the continuous growth of trade between Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the world. This substantial infrastructure investment significantly increases port capacity and enables Abu Dhabi's continued economic growth. Khalifa Port Container Terminal will not only accommodate the rapidly growing container traffic in Abu Dhabi, but also serves as an ‘enabler’ for new business generated by Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad), which aims to be one of the largestindustrial zones in the world."

Martijn Van De Linde

ADT adds that more than 1.3 million TEUs have now been handled at Khalifa Port container terminal, since it opened commercially in September 2012. In December more than 100,000 TEUs passed through the port in just one month. These are very significant figures for KPCT and the highest number of containers ever handled in one month in the Emirate.

Khalifa Port is located on 2.7-sq-km of reclaimed land situated 4.5 km off the coast of Taweelah, a site 60 km north of the city of Abu Dhabi and 75 km south of Dubai. The port is located within an hour’s drive of a number of other major transport and logistics centres, including Abu Dhabi International Airport, Dubai International Airport. With a 4 km quay wall and 18 metres draft, Khalifa Port is capable of handling the largest ships in the world.