Bechtel will manage and co-ordinate the masterplanning, design and construction of the port and associated infrastructure. The new port will eventually replace Mina Zayed port on Abu Dhabi island, which will be redeveloped by local property developer ALDAR Properties (MEED 24:3:06).

The other main contenders for the PMS contract were Kellogg Brown & Root and Parsons International, both of the US. The project will take four-five years to complete. It will include the construction of a world-scale industrial and container port and will comprise more than 100 square kilometres of industrial, logistics, commercial, educational and residential zones.

The Khalifa Industrial Zone will cater to a number of industries, including base metals, heavy industry, chemicals, trade and logistics, building materials and medium and light industry. Confirmed projects include a 1.2 million-tonne-a-year aluminium smelter that will be developed by Mubadala Development Company and Dubai Aluminium Company (Dubal) and a steel mill (MEED 14:7:06).

Han Padron, part of the UK's Halcrow, is executing the masterplan and environmental impact assessment. Qatar-based local Arab Centre Engineering Service (ACES)is working on the onshore geotechnical investigations for the port and industrial zone areas. A separate masterplan for the industrial area will be carried out.

Khalifa port is the largest new port planned for Abu Dhabi. The Higher Corporation for Specialised Economic Zones (Zonescorp) is developing a smaller port in Mussafah. The estimated AED 1,500 million-2,500 million ($407 million-680 million) port will be capable of handling 5 million-9 million tonnes a year of bulk cargo and will also include a container handling element. Royal Haskoning of the Netherlands has been appointed to conduct the feasibility and scoping study (MEED 4:8:06).

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