The Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has reported a 16 per cent increase in vessel movement at its ports during the first nine months of the year.

Vessel movements reached 22,477 between January and September this year, rising from 19,434 movements recorded in the same period last year.

The largest area of growth was for roll-on-roll-off traffic, which involves vehicles driven on and off ships either as trucks carrying goods or as vehicles being imported for sale in the UAE. Traffic in this area grew by 41 per cent compared to 2011.

Container traffic also rose, with an increase of four per cent from 537,124 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) last year to 559,786 TEUs.

Cruise liner passenger traffic increased by six per cent, up from 107,560 to 113,902.

Bulk and general cargo grew by five per cent, rising from 6.5 million tons in 2011 to 6.8 million tons this year.

Traffic volumes across Abu Dhabi’s ports are likely to grow further in the coming months due to the opening of the new Khalifa port on 1 September. The port has added 2.5 million TEUs in container capacity and is equipped to handle some of the largest vessels in the world.