ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi Ports reported double-digit growth in two major cargo sectors during the first quarter, as business activities picked up at Khalifa Industrial Zone (Kizad). Roll-on-roll-off traffic at Khalifa Port jumped by 31 per cent to 33,687 vehicles, up from 25,709 vehicles during the same period last year, according to Abu Dhabi Ports, the master developer and manager of Kizad. General and bulk cargo rose by 13 per cent to touch 3.98 million tonnes, compared to 3.5 million tonnes during the first quarter of last year.
The Khalifa Port Container Terminal, which is operated by the Abu Dhabi Ports subsidiary Abu Dhabi Terminals, reported handling 5 per cent more containers during the first three months compared with the same period last year. The terminal recorded 316,996 twenty foot-equivalent units, up from 302,151 units.
“We aim to continue investing in innovative technologies and solutions,” said Captain Mohamed Al Shamisi, the chief executive of Abu Dhabi Ports. During the first quarter, four companies, including Dubai-based KSB Service and Polysys Additive Technologies Middle East, started operations from Kizad.
Two others, the Abu Dhabi-based National Food Products Company and Kuwait’s Gulf Printing and Packaging Company, started construction on their facilities. Kizad has about 90 investors from the UAE and abroad, and 13 million square metres of land leased.
