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CMA CGM to Expand Joint Venture Terminal at Khalifa Port
France’s CMA CGM Group has signed an agreement with AD Ports Group to expand its joint container terminal at Khalifa Port, less than a year after it opened in December 2024. CMA Terminals Khalifa Port, owned 70 per cent by CMA CGM and 30 per cent by AD Ports Group, has recorded strong throughput demand and sustained operational performance over the past 11 months. Valued at AED 420 million (US$115 million), the new expansion plan will see both partners contribute proportionate to their shareholding.
Scheduled for completion in early 2028, the investment will increase the terminal’s capacity by 50 per cent, boosting annual throughput from 1.8 million TEU to 2.7 million TEU. This development will raise Khalifa Port’s total container handling capacity to 10.5 million TEU a year, strengthening its position as one of the UAE’s most important transshipment and logistics hubs.
Christine Cabau, Executive Vice President, Operations and Assets, CMA CGM, said: “The growth of this new facility during 2025 has been spectacular. The terminal has already reached full capacity and this has led us to the decision to accelerate phase 2 deployment to meet strong demand. This proves the efficiency of Khalifa container terminal, its remarkable location as a multi-regional hub and the dynamism of the economies of UAE and in the close area.”
CMA Terminals Khalifa Port is one of three container terminals operated by major international shipping lines at Khalifa Port. Located on the port’s North Quay, the facility features two berths totalling 800 m in length with an alongside depth of 18.5 m, enabling it to accommodate the world’s largest containerships.
The expansion will extend the quay wall by 50 per cent to 1,200 m and expand the yard area by more than 40 per cent, from 464,000 m² to 667,000 m². The project will also include enhanced utilities and upgraded systems such as advanced reefer racks to support increased demand for refrigerated container operations, strengthening the terminal’s efficiency and service capability.
During the third quarter of 2025, container throughput handled by AD Ports Group’s Ports Cluster increased by 20 per cent year-on-year, while general cargo volumes rose by 12 per cent. CMA Terminals Khalifa Port is reported to be close to achieving 1 million TEU in throughput for the year to date.
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