UAE: Jebel Ali Port Modernization Moves Ahead

In a major step towards mitigating the environmental impact of its operations, global marine terminal operator DP World has successfully electrified eight diesel powered Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes at its flagship Jebel Ali Port.

Cavotec handed over the project to DP World recently at a ceremony attended by Mohammed Sharaf, Group Chief Executive Officer, DP World, and Mohammed Al Muallem, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region, and other senior officials from DP World and Cavotec.

Mohammed Sharaf, Group Chief Executive Officer, DP World, said: “Congratulations to DP World, UAE Region on this initiative, which is part of DP World’s global efforts to promote sustainability and care for the environment. One of our key objectives is to integrate responsible business practices into our daily activities, thus growing our business in a sustainable manner.”

Mohammed Al Muallem, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region, said: “Care for the environment is a cornerstone of our Corporate Responsibility programme focused on the UAE community. Electrification of the giant cranes that drive our container handling operations at Jebel Ali is one of the most significant steps we have taken in that direction. Our technical teams will closely monitor the performance of the electrified RTGs over the coming months and measure their impact on the port’s carbon footprint.”

Ottonel Popesco, Chief Executive Officer, Cavotec, said: “This innovative project was made possible by close cooperation between DP World and Cavotec. We look forward to undertaking more such environmentally relevant projects in the future. Cavotec offers extensive expertise in the areas of automation and crane technologies that enable ports worldwide to realise improvements in operational and environmental performance that are increasingly demanded by the industry.”

Jebel Ali Container Terminals are equipped with a total of 78 quay cranes to cater to the world’s largest container vessels, 60 electrical Rail Mounted Gantry (RMG) cranes and 123 Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes.

This year, DP World added one million TEU (twenty foot equivalent container units) to take capacity at the port to 15 million TEU, extending its Container Terminal 2 quay wall by 400 metres to 3,000 metres. This allows for the simultaneous handling of six mega ships.

Together with Container Terminal 3, now under construction and scheduled to open in 2014, Jebel Ali Port’s capacity will reach 19 million TEU and will be able to handle 10 of the giant new generation ultra large container ships (ULCS) at the same time – the only port in the region with this capability.

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Press Release, September 30, 2013