Less than a year after its opening, demand higher than expected pushes the partners to invest 115 million dollars in a new expansion phase
Abu Dhabi – Cma Cgm and Ad Ports have decided to proceed with the expansion of their joint container terminal at Khalifa Port, after the port recorded a growth rate much faster than expected since its operational start in December 2024. The company that manages the terminal, Cma Terminals Khalifa Port — 70% owned by the French group and 30% by the Emirati operator — plans a total investment of 420 million aed (approximately 115 million dollars), allocated according to the shares.
The project, which should be completed at the beginning of 2028, will increase capacity from 1.8 to 2.7 million teu, almost 50% more, bringing the overall capacity of Khalifa Port to 10.5 million teu, with a growth of about 9%. According to Saif Al Mazrouei, ceo of the Ad Ports port cluster, the initiative confirms the dynamism of the port and Abu Dhabi’s commitment to strengthening its role in global trade. Christine Cabau, executive vice president of Cma Cgm for operations and assets, explained that the terminal reached full capacity in just ten months, pushing the partners to anticipate the second phase of the project.
The expansion involves the addition of 400 meters of quay to the current 800, plus a 40% increase in storage areas. Technological updates and new infrastructure are also planned, including additional refrigerated racks, to support the growing share of temperature-controlled goods.
Khalifa Port has quickly established itself as one of the main transshipment hubs in the region, climbing the rankings of the most efficient ports. The growth in volumes has been accompanied by solid operational results: in the third quarter of 2025, the Ad Ports port cluster handled 20% more containers than the previous year, while the terminal managed with Cma Cgm is close to reaching 1 million annual teu, operating with an 87% utilization rate.
The expansion announcement follows another agreement between the two groups, dating back to November, with which Ad Ports acquired 20% of the Latakia International Container Terminal for 81 million aed (approximately 22 million dollars). Abu Dhabi will join Cma Cgm in managing the main Syrian port for container traffic, which is expected to increase from 250,000 teu to 625,000 teu by 2026.
