Abu Dhabi Ports (ADP) has signed a 35-year concession agreement to develop, manage and operate Fujairah Port, to which end a new ADP subsidiary called Fujairah Terminals has been set up, complementing the group’s existing services at Khalifa Port and Zayed Port.
Sheikh Hamad Bin Mohammad Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, witnessed the signing of the agreement by Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, ceo of Abu Dhabi Ports, and Capt. Mousa Murad, General Manager of Port of Fujairah, in his palace yesterday (pictured). The agreement grants ADP exclusive rights to develop port infrastructure and undertake operations for containers, general cargo, ro-ro and cruise ships.
In the first instance, ADP will next year begin developing an additional 1 km of quay and 300,000 sq m of storage space, and deepen water depth alongside berths to 16.5 m to increase capacity and allow arrival of larger vessels. ADP will also install new advanced equipment such as ship-to-shore post panamax quay cranes and RTGs as well as new IT systems, including a Port Community System developed by its subsidiary Maqta Gateway.
Additional capacity and new quay cranes will begin operations in 2021. Eventually it is expected that the port’s annual capacity will reach reach 1m teu and 700,000 tons of general cargo by 2030.
Commenting on the agreement, ADP’s Capt. Al Shamsi called it a “major milestone” that will see ADP share best practices with “one of the most important economic and commercial ports operating in the UAE.” It will also allow the re-export of goods that arrive at Khalifa Port to India, Pakistan and East Africa in addition to receiving general cargo for clients in the northern emirates, he added.
Capt. Murad said the agreement would allow the Emirate of Fujairah to benefit from the experience of ADP in developing and strengthening the infrastructure of Fujairah Port, “which will contribute to a significant leap in the services provided to our customers and complement the achievements and successes of the port in the future.”
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