PROGRESS toward completion of Khalifa Port Phase One at Taweelah has moved a step closer with a topping out of the terminal operations building.

As one of the major buildings on the new port island and the tallest at more than 33 m, it provides 5,200 sq m of floor space for port operations and administration.

Located at the western end of the first stage of the container terminal, it will house the main operations centre on the fourth floor, offering excellent visibility across the terminal area. In addition to a state-of-the-art vessel, crane and yard operations centre, it also includes reception areas, first aid facilities, large open-plan offices, a data centre, kitchens, hospitality areas and modern conference facilities.

The Phase One of Kizad (Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi) and the adjacent Khalifa Port are now 78 per cent complete. Khalifa Port, which will have capacity for two million containers and 12 million tonnes of general cargo, is due to open in the fourth quarter of 2012 along with the completion of infrastructure work in the 51-sq-km first phase (Area A) of Kizad.

The Dh26.5-billion ($7.2 billion) project is the flagship of Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC).

Separately, Kizad and Bank of Baroda, India’s third largest bank, have signed a global partnership agreement according to which the latter will provide potential Kizad tenants with financial services and solutions, as well as help it seek foreign direct investment.

Kizad, a cornerstone of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, was launched in November last year by ADPC at Taweelah, half way between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Cover covering 417 sq km, it offers free zone and non-free zone options to potential tenants and aims to attract investors to industrial clusters defined in line with the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030. The clusters include aluminium, steel, engineered metal products, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, paper, print and packaging, food and trade and logistics.

Phase One of the zone, which is 51 sq km with an investment of Dh26.5 billion ($7.2 billion), is set to open in Q4 2012.