Abu Dhabi - Mubasher: Abu Dhabi Ports Company (AD Ports) and Nimex Terminals have signed two long-term agreements that will position Khalifa Port as a leading trading hub for low-carbon energy and petrochemical logistics.
The partnership, which aligns with the UAE’s position as a global energy hub, is valued at over AED 30 billion ($8 billion), according to a press release.
The agreements include the development of the UAE’s first private-sector Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) terminal hubs, which can accommodate large, long-haul gas carriers.
Additionally, the two facilities will expand Khalifa Port’s capabilities to meet the rising demand of international energy trade, while supporting the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 strategy.
Khalifa Port will leverage the infrastructure required to fuel vessels with lower-emission LNG and LPG, two of the fastest-growing alternative fuels in the global maritime industry.
Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports, said: “Through our partnership with Nimex Terminals, we will equip Khalifa Port, one of the world’s fastest growing ports, with lower-impact fuel infrastructure that advances our commitment to a more sustainable future for the global ports and shipping industries.”
“Guided by the wise leadership of the UAE, AD Ports Group remains dedicated to investing in a sustainable future that creates long-term value not only for our Group and our industry, but also for the people of Abu Dhabi and the UAE,” he added.
Under the agreements, AD Ports has committed to invest up to AED 1.30 billion ($354 million) to develop the required infrastructure, primarily dredging and development of jetties.
As for Nimex Terminals, it will invest up to AED 2.60 billion ($700 million) in advanced LNG and LPG storage tanks and other superstructure construction, including regasification facilities, pipelines with instrumentation controls, loading arms, flare structures, and firefighting systems.
The two facilities will be developed in phases over a five-year period with the associated investments spread over the same timeframe.
Spanning an area of 130,000 m², the LNG terminal will feature cryogenic storage facilities with a total capacity of 400,000 cubic meters.
Meanwhile, the LPG facility, occupying 90,000 m², will offer a total capacity of 280,000 cubic meters.
Both terminals will serve as hubs for import, export, and transhipment operations, primarily catering to the growing demand from Asian markets.
The initial operations are expected to commence by mid-2028, with steady-state operations projected to be achieved by 2031 for the LNG terminal, and by 2033 for the LPG terminal.
In October, AD Ports penned a land sale agreement of AED 2.47 billion with Mira Developments to create one of Abu Dhabi’s largest mixed-use communities in the Al Mamoura district.
