By
Alex Smith |
Abu Dhabi Maritime, operating under AD Ports Group, is to construct several new maritime infrastructure facilities across the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The new developments include a mix of marina facilities and ferry terminals that will be developed at Rabdan, Al Saadiyat Island and Al Aliah Island, with completion scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2022. Furthermore, an additional marina and ferry station project will be developed at Jebel Dhanna, with completion anticipated in the third quarter of 2023.
The facilities will offer a range of new services and capabilities including additional wet and dry berths, wider slipways capable of simultaneous vessel launches and retrievals, improved docking facilities, and a suite of new food, beverage and retail spaces. The new projects are expected to raise the number of marina berths by 246.
Abu Dhabi Maritime also plans to reinforce the existing ferry service by adding five new vessels on the routes to Al Aliah and Dalma Islands. The new vessels are expected to expand the ferry fleet’s passenger carrying capacity by almost 70 per cent and its vehicle carrying capacity by 40 per cent. They will also reduce the overall transit times and lower carbon dioxide emissions by 25 per cent.
“In accordance with the Abu Dhabi Plan Maritime, our leadership is implementing an ambitious vision and a unified strategic direction to sustainably grow our emirate’s commercial and recreational offering, and position Abu Dhabi as a leading global maritime capital,” said His Excellency Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, chairman of AD Ports Group. “We support the leadership’s vision by investing in emerging technologies and world-class infrastructure to transform trade and redefine the future of maritime trade and logistics to connect Abu Dhabi to the world.”
At the beginning of 2022, Abu Dhabi Maritime took over the ferry operations branch of the Integrated Transport Centre to become the main operator of all ferry services within Abu Dhabi’s waterways. The organisation now oversees the daily operation of the Dalma Island Water Transport Service and Al Aliah Island Public Water Transport Service.
“The development of the terminals is a testament to our commitment to continue advancing our maritime assets and facilities,” said Captain Saif Al Mheiri, managing director of Abu Dhabi Maritime. “With Abu Dhabi Maritime recently assuming the responsibility for operating our emirate’s ferry services, our user base can rest assured that the new multi-role vessels will play an important role in boosting Al Aliah and Dalma islands’ development by carrying more vehicles and passengers, and by accommodating heavy trucks for the first time in the service’s history.”