DP World, the operator of Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port, has announced the start of construction work on a new $1.6 billion container terminal, as part of plans to upgrade the port’s capacity.
Phase 1 of the Container Terminal 4 (T4) project is expected to deliver a new capacity of 3.1 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) by 2018, increasing Jebel Ali Port’s total capacity to 22.1 million TEU. The port complex will be equipped with at least 110 cranes with a total quay length of about 11,000m, DP World said.
According to a statement by the port operator, T4 will be located on a reclaimed island north of the existing Terminal 2. As part of the project, a 3,000m bridge and causeway is being built to provide access to the island from land near Terminal 2. Work is scheduled to get the causeway and bridge partially open to traffic before the end of this year, DP World said.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DP World chairman, said the expansion is in line with the strong economic outlook for Dubai in coming years. “The new capacity is a response to feedback from customers expressing the need for more capacity at Jebel Ali due to an expected increase in trade in the run up to Expo 2020. Shipping lines will be able to bring more of the world’s largest vessels to our terminals, helping improve the efficiency of the region’s supply chain.”
Jebel Ali Port can currently accommodate ten mega-container ships simultaneously. The new terminal is expected to significantly increase this number, the chairman added. “With Jebel Ali’s total capacity set to reach 22.1 million TEU in 2018, we are ensuring our flagship asset in Dubai continues to have sufficient capacity to serve the future growth demand of the UAE and the wider region.”
The first half of 2015 saw Jebel Ali Port and other DP World terminals in the UAE handle 7.9 million TEUs, a 6% growth from the same period last year.
The upcoming T4 will be equipped with semi-automated quay cranes. Under Phase 1, the terminal will feature a 1,200m long quay with an 18m draft as well as 13 quay cranes remotely operated from a control room off the quayside. About 35 Automated Rail Mounted Gantry (ARMG) cranes will operate in the yard, DP World said.