UAE plays key role in global ports industry

The UAE plays a pivotal role in the future of the ports industry worldwide with Abu Dhabi sitting at the crossroads to the East and West shipping routes, according to H.H. Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of the Court of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi when he opened the Second World Ports & Trade Summit held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centreon April 2-4, 2012.
 "Abu Dhabi is a global meeting place for local, regional and international decision makers to debate, discuss and analyse key issues in the shipping, ports and trade industry together while looking at the economic and political developments internationally that can impact world trade," added H.H. Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the presence of transport and economy ministers from 10 countries and more than 40 Ambassadors attending the three day summit.
 Delegates agree with the organisers and the host Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) that this secondsummit holds much significance in the wake of rising costs and political instability in the region as a result of which trade patterns have come under fresh scrutiny.
The summit also becomes an excellent opportunity for Abu Dhabi to showcase its achievements in ports and shipping industry. ADPC, which has been supporting the growth of Abu Dhabi's ambitious maritime infrastructure to realise the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030, will complete the first phase of the Khalifa Port in the emirate by the last quarter of 2012, adding two million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) of container and 12 million tons of general cargo capacity.
 With the attendance of maritime experts and decision makers, the summit will address the current challenges and look at emerging trends and opportunities in the world of ports and trade. To help the attendees set the pace for discussion are resource speakers that include H.E. Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy, H.E. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC), Jonathon Porrit, Founder Director, Forum for the Future, and H.E. Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah, Non-Executive Director & Vice Chairman, DP World.
In addressing the conference, H.E. Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansooribrought the memories of the delegates in the past that the Arab world has a rich history in maritime trade. For example, maritime trade between the region and the Indian Subcontinent dates back even earlier than the 7th Century AD.
Over the years, the growth of the UAE as a global trading destination also owes to its investments in expanding the port infrastructure.
Al Mansoori quoted the World Shipping Council that two of the world's Top 50 container ports are in the UAE, with Dubai featuring among the Top 10. Adding the facts,  of the 35 ports in the GCC, Port Rashid, Port Zayed and Khalifa Port have accounted for nearly 59% of the volume in the region.

 "The massive investment in port infrastructure in Abu Dhabi is an example of UAE's commitment to further strengthen our competencies in ports and shipping," Al Mansoori continued.
He stated that while UAE will continue to invest in ports, logistics, aviation and transport sectors, as the government firmly believe that developing the infrastructure is one of the foremost priorities to sustain the strong investment environmenNIKE HYPERLIVE EP