DP World to expand to third container terminal at flagship Jebel Ali

DUBAI's DP World, one of the world's biggest port operators, is to expand its capacity at a new container terminal able to take four million TEU, boosting Jebel Ali's overall capacity to 19 million TEU when it becomes operational in 2014.

The third terminal at Jebel Ali will have a 1,860-metre quay, 17 metres alongside and able to accommodate 18,000 TEUers. It will have a 70-hectare storage yard and 19 quay cranes and five rail-mounted gantries, according to a report from Dubai's Arabian Business.com

The tender for design, construction and commission and equipment of the terminal has been awarded to a joint venture (JV) of Japanese-based TOA Corporation and SoletancheBach.

The TOA Corporation Dubai general manager Kiyoshi Miyawaki said the knowledge both companies TOA-Soletanche Bachy JV bring of marine terminal infrastructure construction will ensure Jebel Ali's Terminal 3 is "among the finest in the world capable of handling next generation container liners".

During the first half of 2012, the flagship facility of Jebel Ali increased its volume by 7.3 per cent to 6.6 million TEU compared to same period 2011.