Abu Dhabi Ports Company has today (Sunday, June 27, 2010) announced the appointment of Tony Douglas as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Douglas is the former Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Group Chief Executive designate of Laing O’Rourke, the UK’s leading privately-owned international construction solutions company, and a previous Chief Executive of Heathrow, one of the world’s leading airports.
The new CEO will steer the development of ADPC’s extensive portfolio of projects, including the flagship Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone (KPIZ).
Announcing the appointment today, Dr Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, Chairman of ADPC, said: “I wish to acknowledge the work of previous management of ADPC for their contributions to the company. Their work is appreciated and has provided firm foundations on which to move forward.
“As we enter a new phase in the development of our organization, we are delighted that Tony Douglas is part of our team. He brings with him great experience and talent in the management of infrastructure projects across the world and in the region. The company is developing major projects as part of the Abu Dhabi Vision Plan 2030 and I am confident his stewardship will contribute to the success of their implementation.”
Douglas added:
“I am thrilled to be joining Abu Dhabi Ports Company at this time with the company taking center stage in the diversification of Abu Dhabi’s economy, and there are exciting times ahead. Our remit is broad – from managing ports throughout the emirate, supporting partners with their infrastructure projects, ensuring trade is encouraged to creating one of the world’s largest concentrations of industry and business at the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone.”
“This project alone is key given the creation of new port capacity and the building of an environment for business to thrive. KPIZ is world class and world scale. With over 400 sq kms of land available for development it is larger than many cities. It is set to become a major trade and business hub and will contribute greatly to the development of the emirate and the UAE’s economy,”he added.
Environmental protection Initiatives to protect the environment there include an 880 million AED (US $240 million) environmental breakwater, the only port in the world with this feature to protect adjacent coral reefs and sea grass meadows in the area.
Surveys and monitoring have been ongoing since 2008 with video recordings, analysis by world leading scientists and a GIS mapping study to evaluate the integrity of the reef ecosystem and processes affecting it.
A fauna relocation project involving the surveying of port land and relocation of animals to appropriate environments prior to construction has also been completed.
Located midway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the Taweelah industrial district, KPIZ will commence operations in 2012 and over the long term to 2030 will comprise 417 square kilometers of prime industrial land organized into vertically integrated clusters for aluminium, petrochemicals, glass, paper and other major sectors. It will consist of a new, world-class multi-purpose offshore port and one of the largest integrated industrial zones
in the world.
Phase 1 of Khalifa Port will open in 2012, replacing Abu Dhabi’s existing main port of Mina Zayed. The new port will have an initial capacity of 2 million TEUs (Twenty Foot Equivalent Units), of containers and 9 million tons of general cargo. The dedicated EMAL berth will be operational later this year. When all phases of Khalifa Port are completed, it will have a capacity of 15 million TEU’s of containers and 35 million tons of general cargo.
ADPC’s vision is to be the preferred provider of world class integrated ports and industrial zone services. The mission is:
- To fulfill ADPC’s role into realization of the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030
- Develop and maintain long term relationships with leading local and international customers
- Achieve sustainable development while supporting community needs and preserving local values
- Be the employer of choice that attracts and retains high caliber staff
- Increase shareholder value and satisfy other stakeholders expectations
Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) is a developer of ports, industrial zones, trade & logistics zones, and related services. Its purpose is to create a sustainable growth platform that spurs economic expansion and diversification for Abu Dhabi. ADPC has been established by Emiri decree number 6, 2006 and has been mandated to construct, develop and manage all ports and related infrastructure in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (with the exception of military and oil & gas ports).