Germany’s Siemens will supply the second container terminal at Khalifa Port with 11 container cranes, 24 automated rail-mounted gantry cranes, eight automated empty container cranes and one fixed crane, the Belt and Road International Forum under way in Beijing on 6 June was told.

It is understood the first batch of cranes will be put into operation before the end of 2018.

China-based Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm, is contracted to install the cranes.

In 2016, China’s Cosco Shipping Ports signed a 35-year concession agreement with Abu Dhabi Ports to develop and operate Khalifa Port’s second container terminal.

The contract is valued at an estimated $738m.

The contract with Cosco is renewable for a period of five years. Cosco will operate an initial 1,200 metres of quay and yard with a capacity of 2.4 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

Last year, Abu Dhabi Ports received bids for the marine works package on the planned second container terminal. However, the contract award has been delayed and MEED understands Abu Dhabi Ports could be considering retendering the contract.

Terminal 2 is expected to become operational in the first half of 2019.

Siemens is positioning itself as a technology partner of China's amibitious belt and road initiative (BRI), a multitrillion-dollar infrastructure programme spanning more than 60 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe.

Abu Dhabi's Khalifa Port is considered part of the initiative.