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The
region's continuing prosperity
is mainly due to its massive
oil reserves , with Abu Dhabi
possessing 95% of the U.A.E.'s
resources. About 2.4 million
barrels are pumped every day
and experts predict that the
Emirate - the world's 10th largest
oil producer - has reserves
for the next 200 years.
Abu
Dhabi also controls the largest
share of the U.A.E's gas reserves,
with an increasing amount of
natural gas being processed
for export. A huge investment
programme is underway to upgrade
both oil refineries and gas
processing systems especially
on Das Island, from which liquefied
natural gas is exported.
Historically,
the Emirate owes much of its
wealth to pearls from the Gulf,
so it was fitting that the sea
also yielded the U.A.E's next
precious commodity -"Black
Gold".
Abu Dhabi continues to go from
strength to strength, with the
ever increasing number of sky-scrapers
dominating the city's stunning
skyline acting as testimony
to its success.
Traders and businessmen in the
Abu Dhabi Emirate had seen difficult
days before the construction
of Port Zayed. Finding it impossible
to enter the shallow waters
of the Abu Dhabi beach, the
cargo ships used to dock about
8km away from the coast and
unload their shipments on barges
and small dhows which then transported
the cargo to the beach.
This
was a labourious and costly
job for the importers, exporters
and the shipowners due to the
high cost of loading and unloading
and the long periods that ships
had to stay out in the sea,
particularly when bad weather
delayed the arrival of barges,
and due to slow handling process.
The
history of Mina Zayed (or Port
Zayed) is the history of the
UAE Federation. The construction
of this Port started in 1968
in fulfillment of the directives
of His Highness Sh. Zayed Bin
Sultan Al-Nahyan, in his capacity
as ruler of Abu Dhabi Emirate
at that time. However, the Port
was officially inaugurated by
His Highness Sh. Zayed in 1972
in his capacity as the President
of the UAE.
Port
Zayed as the main gate of the
Abu Dhabi Emirate to the outside
world extends valuable services
to a wide range of private and
public sectors including the
shipping lines, shipping agents,
importers, businessmen and other
port users.
The
unique location of the Port
with its great potential allows
it to play a major role in the
Gulf region and the Middle East.
The total area of the Seaport
is 510 hectares in addition
to 1000 square meters being
the area of the Free Port. Port
Zayed has presently 21 berths
with individual depths varying
between 9.5 and 15 meters, allowing
the arrival of all types of
commercial trans-ocean ships.
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