DP World, the leading enabler of global trade, has signed two major contracts for civil construction work at its new Container Terminal 4 on a reclaimed island in Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, UAE.

The agreement was signed by Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DP World Group chairman and CEO with Zeyad Baker, the executive director, Dutco Balfour Beatty and Patrick McKinney, the area manager, Middle East and Gulf, BAM International Abu Dhabi – Dubai Branch at DP World Head Office in Jebel Ali.
 
The signing ceremony was attended by senior officials including vice chairman Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah, senior VP and managing director of UAE Region Mohammed Al Muallem, senior vice-president (global procurement) Iqbal Khoory and senior vice-president (project management) Adnan Al Abbar.

Under Phase One, Dutco Balfour Beatty is developing an operational yard area with a quay length of 1,200 m, while BAM International Abu Dhabi is building a 400-m-long bridge and adjacent causeways and the 2.2-km quay wall with an alongside depth of 18 m, designed to accommodate the largest mega container vessels, said a statement from DP World.

CH2M Hill (Halcrow) will deliver the civil works on the reclaimed island north of Jebel Ali’s Terminal 2, connected to the mainland by a 3,000-m causeway, it added.

On the new projects, Bin Sulayem said: “We are excited to see construction work going ahead as planned for Container Terminal 4 in the run up to Expo 2020. Under Phase One, Terminal 4 will add 3.1 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) by 2018, taking Jebel Ali Port’s total capacity to 22.1 million TEU."

"The port will be equipped with at least 110 cranes with a total quay length of around 11,000 metres by that time, he added.

"This terminal is the big idea that will change the way ports work in the future. We will deploy the latest technology in equipping our quays and yards, and run them with the most sophisticated terminal operation systems," remarked Bin Sulayem.

"We have a long track record of investing proactively to expand capacity at our operations to meet changing customer needs. We are building Terminal 4 from the ground up, which enables us to future proof it for smart container ships emerging in the future," he stated.

According to him, DP World will further expand Terminal 4’s capacity to a total of 7.8 million TEU in line with market demand under Phase Two, with an additional operational yard with a quay length of 1,000 metres that will be built by Dutco Balfour Beatty.

Baker said Dutco Balfour Beatty's association with DP World goes back to 1976 when it undertook the construction of Jebel Ali Port.

"Our new partnership for this exciting new chapter in the port’s development demonstrates the long term nature of our continuous involvement in a port that emerged four decades ago to become the world’s largest man-made harbour. We thank DP World for the sustained trust they have placed in us," he added.

McKinney said BAM International was delighted to be associated with a global trade enabler like DP World in developing infrastructure.

"We are grateful for their confidence in our expertise and capabilities to execute this engineering challenge. Our strategy of deploying advanced construction techniques, expert line management highlighting safety processes will underpin the delivery of this project on time and on budget," stated the official.

Terminal 4 will be equipped with semi-automated quay cranes, providing operational efficiencies for customers, comfortable and safe working conditions for employees and environmental benefits by reducing its carbon footprint.

Phase 1 will feature 13 of the world’s largest and most modern quay cranes, remotely operated from a sophisticated control room off the quayside. Some 35 Automated Rail Mounted Gantry cranes (ARMG) will operate in the yard.

Bin Sulayem pointed out that with its 4 million capacity TEU Container Terminal 3 fully operational this year, Jebel Ali will have the capability to accommodate ten mega container ships simultaneously and the new Terminal 4 will increase that handling capability.

"It will be ready in time to meet the expected increase in trade over the next five years and to ensure Jebel Ali Port reinforces its position as the top commercial gateway to this region," he observed.

When complete Terminal 4 will operate as a dedicated container operation, including storage of full, reefer and empty containers using modern container handling equipment, said the top official.

According to him, Jebel Ali and other DP World terminals in the UAE handled 15.6 million TEU in 2015. Utilisation at Jebel Ali remains high at approximately 90 per cent.

Last year, DP World ‘s global portfolio of container terminals handled 61.7 million TEU, he added.-TradeArabia News Service