Executives at Abu Dhabi Ports Group (AD Ports Group) have confirmed that its flagship deep-water port, Khalifa Port, has been ranked in the top five of the global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), developed by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The ranking is based on time vessels needed to spend in port to complete workloads over the course of 2021, a year that saw unprecedented port congestion and disruption to global supply chains due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than four-fifths of global merchandise trade by volume are carried by sea, and approximately 35 percent of total volumes and over 60 percent of commercial value is shipped in containers, making the ranking an important global economic indicator.

The report cites the use of digital technology and green fuel alternatives as two of the major ways that countries are modernising their ports and making maritime supply chains more resilient – both areas in which Khalifa Port has excelled.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, said, “This ranking is another indicator of the high levels of performance that customers are receiving at Khalifa Port, with the full support of AD Ports Group’s integrated business clusters. We have recognised the pressure that global supply chains are under and have worked hard to create efficiencies and new synergies in every area. At the direction of our nation’s wise leadership, we will continue to drive world-class performance levels at all our facilities.”

Saif Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer of Ports Cluster, AD Ports Group, commented, “Khalifa Port is at the cutting-edge of innovation and investment, to support world trade and the growth and diversification of the UAE economy. We have deployed a leading team of professionals and cutting-edge technology at Khalifa Port including automatic stacking cranes, aerial drones, and an automated Terminal Operation System. This has enabled us to deliver the highest standards of service, and we continue to deploy new innovations to ensure the best possible customer experience.”

AD Ports Group has continued to invest in innovative technologies throughout 2022, to ensure it maintains its cutting-edge. Maqta Gateway, AD Ports Group’s digital solutions provider, offers more than 160 digitalised services to stakeholders and customers at Khalifa Port, boosting overall efficiency and enabling faster turnaround times.

CSP Abu Dhabi container terminal (CSP) operating within Khalifa Port is the first terminal in the Middle East to implement an autonomous port truck system, deploying electric Q-Trucks to support mother vessel loading and unloading activities within the facility’s container yard.

Four of the five most efficient ports in the ranking are based in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Port, Port Salalah in Oman and Hamad Port in Qatar joining Khalifa Port at the top.

The Container Port Performance Index is based on total port hours per ship call, defined as the elapsed time between when a ship reaches a port to its departure from the berth having completed its cargo exchange. Greater or lesser workloads are accounted for by examining the underlying data within ten different call size ranges. Five distinct ship size groups are accounted for in the methodology given the potential for greater fuel and emissions savings on larger vessels.