Khalifa Port has welcomed two 20,000-plus TEU mega-vessels at CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal, cementing its position as a global maritime hub.
Operated by China COSCO Shipping, the vessels COSCO Shipping Solar and Pisces are the largest vessels to ever call at Khalifa Port, arriving just months after the inauguration of CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal by China’s COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited in partnership with Abu Dhabi Ports.
The units were the third and fourth main line vessels to pass through CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal since it started trial operations in April 20, 2019. They follow the arrival of CSCL Mercury, a Chinese container ship with a capacity of 14,000 TEU, and the 19,000 TEU CSCL Globe.
The arrival of the two latest vessel giants “is a milestone moment for Abu Dhabi Ports and its partner, CSP. Not only does it demonstrate our growth as a hub port in the region, but also our position as the heart of COSCO’s network in the Middle East,” Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, said.
The CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal, which was inaugurated in December, connects Khalifa Port to CSP’s global terminal portfolio covering 285 berths at 37 ports worldwide. The terminal has a design capacity of 2.5 million TEU, with 1200 metres of quay and a water depth of 18 metres.
CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal is the result of a 35-year agreement between Abu Dhabi Ports and COSCO Shipping Ports, and forms part of a five-year strategy by Abu Dhabi Ports aimed at strengthening the maritime sector in the UAE and driving economic diversification.