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42pc Growth in Container Flow at ADT

ABU DHABI — Abu Dhabi Terminals, or ADT, handled in excess of 436,000 containers in the first ten months of this year, marking an increase of 42 per cent over the nearly 308,000 containers it handled during the same period in 2008.

The terminal had handled 390,000 containers only during the entire year of 2008, and the figures indicate that the terminal could handle 12 per cent more containers in the first ten months of this year.

These numbers are expected to increase further by the end of this year, considering the surge in the flow of cargo and passengers to the terminal, ADT officials said.

“We have been experiencing a surge in container and general cargo volumes over the last several months, defying all predictions of slowdown in the backdrop of the global recession,. In addition to the container flow we experienced a five per cent rise in the total general cargo including bulk, from last year’s 4,135,351 MT to 4,350,861 MT this year. We’ve also experienced a 58 per cent increase in the number of passengers coming to Abu Dhabi Terminals, from 46,482 in 2008 to 73,654 in 2009,” Mana Salem Al Mana, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Terminals said in a statement here on Wednesday.

Abu Dhabi Terminals is also exploring a collaborative venture with AIDA Cruise, headquartered in Germany to promote the growth of the cruise industry in Abu Dhabi, Mana Salem disclosed. Recently Mana Salem had a meeting with Micheal Thamm, President of AIDA Cruise and Micheal Ungurer, Senior Vice-President, in the presence of representatives from Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, or ADTA, to discuss areas of mutual cooperation in supporting the cruise industry and Abu Dhabi’s strategy to boost tourist numbers.

ramavarman@khaleejtimes.ae