DP World has today (October 22) welcomed the first scheduled vessel to call at its new Container Terminal 3 in Jebel Ali, Dubai, as it gears up to serve customers at the state-of-the-art facility.

The APL Phoenix was welcomed by DP World Chairman, His Excellency Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Vice Chairman HE Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah, Group CEO Mohammed Sharaf, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, UAE Region, Mohammed Al Muallem, and Prabhu G.K.N., Head of Operations and Network Management, Middle East and Africa Region at APL, and Capt Moses Dogbeda Kodzitse, Master of APL Phoenix, together with senior representatives of other DP World customers.

Once fully operational next year, the worlds most modern container terminal will add a further 4 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent container units) capacity to the port, taking total handling capacity at Jebel Ali to 19 million TEU. With its 21st Century infrastructure and 18 metre draft, Terminal 3 gives Jebel Ali the ability to handle more of the new generation mega vessels, and as many as 10 Ultra Large Container Ships (ULCS) at the same time.

Terminal 3 represents innovation and technology, featuring 19 of the worlds largest and most modern quay cranes remotely operated from a sophisticated control room off the quayside, in safety and comfort, largely by Emirati nationals, including females, who will also make up the majority of the 50 Automated Rail Mounted Gantry crane (ARMG) operations team.

HE Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman, DP World, said:
We are proud to welcome the APL Phoenix to Terminal 3 as trial operations begin at our newest terminal. As the $850 million Terminal 3 comes on line, it will support the growth of Dubai, the UAE and the wider region.

And in line with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubais vision of transforming the city with smart systems using technology, Terminal 3 will be the worlds largest semi-automated terminal, providing operational efficiencies for customers, comfortable and safe working conditions for our people and environmental benefits by reducing our carbon footprint. Terminal 3 will be 30% more carbon efficient than a traditional terminal.

HE Sultan bin Sulayem remarked:
DP World is committed to continuing to develop Jebel Ali port to meet the current and future needs of our customers. Looking ahead, the connection of Etihad Rail to Jebel Ali Port will add a further dimension to the multi-modal supply chain, seamlessly linking sea, road, rail and air through the Dubai Logistics Corridor, reinforcing Jebel Alis role as the premier gateway serving the wider region of two billion people.

HE Sultan bin Sulayem further commented:
Today we are pleased to welcome one of our most important customers, APL, as the first shipping line to call at this impressive container facility. Terminal 3 was built in direct response to the feedback from customers like APL who told us clearly they needed more capacity at Jebel Ali. Shipping lines can now bring more of the worlds largest ships to our facilities and help improve the efficiency of the supply chain.

Our success at Jebel Ali Port has very much been to the partnership with all our stakeholders, including our customers, and I would particularly like to thank them for their support.

Kenneth Glenn, President, APL, said:
APL congratulates DP World on the opening of the Jebel Ali Terminal 3. As the worlds biggest semi-automated facility, Terminal 3 is well-equipped to provide our ships with optimal and sustainable service efficiency and reliability. This is a key success factor for the container liner business. We are very pleased to work with DP World in continuously improving the speed and efficiency of our vessel dispatch here in Jebel Ali, and throughout our global network.

HE Sultan bin Sulayem concluded:
This huge project highlights the success of our engineering and design teams led by UAE nationals who employed a highly innovative approach to the challenge of taking what was a small general cargo yard and develop it into a modern semi-automated terminal. Also, we are pleased to see the worlds largest and most modern cranes remotely operated by Emirati nationals, both male and female. I would like to congratulate them all.

I also sincerely thank those involved in the ports construction, government authorities, the community and our people who have worked tirelessly to realise this vision, he said.