Abu Dhabi’s new Khalifa Port is due to welcome another shipping line, as it continues to transfer its container business from the old port, Mina Zayed in downtown Abu Dhabi.

French shipping company CMA CGM is set to move its operations from Mina Zayed to the new port situated off-shore at Taweelah.  

It is the fourth shipping company to transfer its business from the old port, since Khalifa Port opened on 1 September. The Switzerland-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is now using the port to dock some of its 14,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) ships.

Evergreen Marine Corporation and United Arab Shipping Company are also using Khalifa Port.

Almost a third of Mina Zayed’s container business has been transferred to the new port. The transfer will be completed by the first quarter of 2013.

Mina Zayed welcomed its first cruise liner of the 2012/13 season. It is expected that this season will see a 20 per cent increase on cruise liners calling at the port. The promotion of Mina Zayed as a cruise terminal is central to plans to increase Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector.