The year 2019 has seen tremendous success for Abu Dhabi Ports, with the company having achieved a number of significant milestones, underlining its role as a key regional and global facilitator of trade.

"Thanks to the guidance and support of the UAE’s leadership, along with the participation of our partners, stakeholders, and customers, Abu Dhabi Ports surpassed numerous milestones in 2019. This exemplary performance not only highlights the company’s contribution towards achieving the UAE’s socio-economic goals, but also realising the strategic objectives outlined in the Abu Dhabi 2030 Economic Vision," said Falah Mohammad Al Ahbabi, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Ports.

Commenting on the accomplishments in 2019, Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, added, "I am proud of our collective success in elevating both the company and the UAE’s attractiveness for foreign direct investment through the expansion of capacity, establishing key partnerships with leading international companies across a range of sectors, and by investing in innovative solutions geared towards operational efficiency."

A major milestone included the start of full operations of the CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal at Khalifa Port, a container terminal built and operated by China’s COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited, in less than one year from the commencement of trial operations.

Once all the expansion projects are complete, Khalifa Port will see its container handling capacity jump from its current 5 million to 7.5 million TEUs, which sets it firmly on a path towards its 9 million TEUs capacity target over the next five years.

Appreciating that access to efficient and effective transport networks is key to future business growth, Abu Dhabi Ports signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Etihad Rail to connect Khalifa Port to the national railway network.

With Abu Dhabi Ports managing cruise facilities at Zayed Port, Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach and Fujairah Port, the natural appeal of the two emirates for tourism was enhanced by targeted initiatives to support cruise ship operators and better serve passengers.

The development of Khalifa Port is closely aligned with the growth of the adjacent Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi, KIZAD, which closed 2019 with more than 500 investors and AED70 billion in investments, since its began operating nine years ago.

Abu Dhabi Ports also signed a strategic agreement with the All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association to encourage Indian polymer investors to expand their presence in KIZAD and take advantage of its strategic location, cost-effective environment, and time-efficient logistics.

Other significant milestones included an agreement with DHL Global Forwarding to establish a distribution centre within KIZAD’s logistics cluster, as well as the opening of a dairy processing factory for the Pinar brand, representing the first cheese processing factory of its type in the UAE.

In October, Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy signed an MoU with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s marine and logistics subsidiary, ADNOC Logistics and Services, to offer cadetships to Emirati students enrolled at the Academy SAFEEN, Abu Dhabi Ports’ integrated marine services arm, reported strong performance results, which included more than 36,000 vessel calls, over 10,800 towage operations, and handling more than 6,500 piloted vessels.

In May, Abu Dhabi Ports and Dell Technologies announced the signing of an MoU that leverages high value-added technologies, such as blockchain and AI, to develop truly integrated smart ports. Additionally, Maqta Gateway, Abu Dhabi Ports’ innovation arm, signed an MoU with Etisalat to further incorporate technologies, such as cloud computing, IoT and Big Data, paving the way for a new era of digital transformation in the maritime sector.

Abu Dhabi Ports’ commitment and outstanding accomplishments in the area of human capital development were recognised with the prestigious IIP Platinum Accreditation by Investors in People, the international standard for people management.

Furthermore, Abu Dhabi Ports was the first port and the first maritime organisation to be awarded the prestigious "Innovative Organisation Level 3" certification by the Boston-based Global Innovation Management Institute.

Finally, 2019 saw Abu Dhabi Ports win two of The Maritime Standard’s coveted annual awards for "Safety and Security" and "Port of the Year".

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