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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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