Jebel Ali Port expansion on track - DP World

DP World has announced that work to extend the quay wall at Jebel Ali Port - a key part of its expansion plan - has been completed.

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DP World chairman, has formally overseen the installation of the last of the 2,752 65 tonne blocks that make up the foundation of the extended quay wall.

The construction is part of the 1 million TEU (twenty foot equivalent container units) expansion of Jebel Ali Container Terminal 2.

The expansion, scheduled to open for business in the second quarter of 2013, extends the quay wall by 400 metres to 3,000 metres, allowing the simultaneous handling of six 15,000 TEU mega ships, DP World said in a statement.

It added that work is also well underway on a state of the art, 4 million TEU capacity Terminal 3, set to open in 2014, taking Jebel Ali's total capacity to 19 million TEU.

Bin Sulayem said: "DP World's pipeline of expansion projects and new developments are in line with the industry's emerging horizons both in terms of capacity and technology.

"As our flagship facility and the largest port in the Middle East, Jebel Ali has consistently brought efficiency to one of the busiest supply chains in the world. DP World remains committed to supporting Dubai's unparalleled position as the region's commercial hub and welcoming the next generation mega container ships."

Mohammed Al Muallem, senior vice president and managing director, DP World, UAE Region, added: "The expansion of Terminal 2 and the development of Terminal 3 will allow us to offer customers not just greater efficiencies but also economies of scale to match changing trade patterns."

DP World said in September it had signed an agreement for the construction of a massive new container terminal at Jebel Ali in Dubai.

The port operator plans to expand capacity at the flagship port by four million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit).

It said in a statement that a joint venture between TOA-SoletancheBachy has been awarded the contract to design, construct, commission and equip the required terminal infrastructure, including the deepening of the channel depth to accommodate super post-panamax next generation container ships with a capacity of 18,000 TEU.

Terminal 3 will have a quay length of 1,860 metres, a draft of 17 metres, and a 70 hectare storage yard.

When operations commence at the new terminal in 2014, total capacity at Jebel Ali will reach 19 million TEU.  

In the first nine months of 2012 DP World, UAE Region, handled 9.98 million TEU, 4.6 percent ahead of the same period last year.