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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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