Abu Dhabi Ports (ADP) has announced it has bought two state-of-the-art tugboats as part of the USD $2.72 billion expansion of its deepwater Khalifa Port.
The purchase will be made through ADP’s marine services subsidiary Safeen and will, according ADP, allow Khalifa to receive some of the world’s largest containerships and shipping vessels.
The two DAMEN ASD 2411 tugboats will join the 12 Safeen already has in its fleet. They will support the movements of large vessels at Khalifa Port’s two container terminals managed by Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT) and COSCO Shipping Port Limited.
The expansion of Khalifa Port is part of Abu Dhabi’s attempts to become a regional logistics and shipping hub.
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In October 2018 it announced a pilot collaboration with container shipping line Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) to test the international blockchain solution Silsal.
Captain Adil Ahmed Banihammed, Acting Chief Marine Services Officer, Safeen, commented: “The extension of our fleet at Khalifa Port with two high-service tugboats is a remarkable milestone for Safeen to address customers’ needs professionally as well as for Khalifa Port.
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“The average size of a vessel has grown by 65 percent due to economies of scale and we recognise the importance of equipping our ports with the right equipment and logistics to adapt to these changing demands.
Credit: Damen
“Khalifa Port is a strategic gateway for trade and freight into Abu Dhabi and throughout the wider region.
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“Our ongoing efforts to develop supportive infrastructure and further enhance overall customer experience here are aligned with international standards and aimed at setting a new benchmark in the region’s maritime industry”.
Pascal Slingersland, Sales Manager Middle East, Damen, commented: “We’re very pleased that Abu Dhabi Ports has opted for our proven ASD Tug 2411 to support the Abu Dhabi Ports container terminals.
“We are confident that they will be able to handle port operations for all kinds and sizes of vessels safely and effectively, including the world’s largest 400-meter container vessels with 20,000 TEUs capacity”.
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