AD Ports Group and CMA CGM Group have signed an agreement to expand their joint container terminal at Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi. The expansion project is estimated to cost AED420 million ($115 million) and is scheduled for completion in early 2028.
The project will increase the terminal’s annual capacity by 50 per cent, rising from 1.8 million to 2.7 million TEU. This development is expected to bring Khalifa Port’s total container handling capacity to 10.5 million TEU annually.
The investment costs will be shared by the partners proportionate to their shareholding, with CMA CGM holding 70 per cent and AD Ports Group holding 30 per cent.
The scope of the expansion involves extending the quay wall length from 800 metres to 1,200 metres and increasing the yard area from 464,000 square metres to 667,000 square metres. The project also includes upgraded utilities and advanced reefer racks to support refrigerated container storage.
Christine Cabau, Executive Vice President Operations and Assets at CMA CGM, stated, “After 10 months of operations, the terminal has already reached full capacity and has led us to the decision of accelerating phase 2 deployment to meet with the demand.”
Since its inauguration in December 2024, CMA Terminals Khalifa Port noted it has recorded high demand, reaching a quarterly capacity utilisation of 87 per cent in the third quarter of 2025 and handling nearly one million TEU year-to-date.
