By Hani Al Awadh
DUBAI, May 25 (KUNA) -- A high-level delegation of the Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA) has started a two-day visit to the Dubai Ports (DP) World to get first-hand information and draw upon the expertise of one of the world's leading containers handling and ports operating companies.
"The aim of the visit is to save time, and transfer and gain the great expertise of DP World which operates and manages 65 ports across the world," Head of the Kuwaiti delegation and KPA Director General Sheikh Yusuf Abdullah Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah told KUNA.
He added that the KPA is preparing to recruit new professional cadres to develop and boost its efficiency in the coming period.
The KPA wants to benefit from the success stories of counterparts in the region and the world, he said.
Sheikh Yusuf pointed out that the delegation held talks with the DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, Mina Rashid General Manager Mohammed Al Mannaei and several other DP senior officials, on the ameliorating bilateral cooperation and the transfer of know-how. He noted that the Kuwaiti delegation accompanied by the DP senior officials toured Monday the new eco-friendly and ultra-modern Hamdan Bin Mohammad Cruise Terminal at Mina Rashid, an affiliate to the DP. They also plan to visit Port of Jebel Ali on Tuesday. Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal at Mina Rashid in Dubai is the world's largest single, covered cruise facility capable of handling 14,000 cruise passengers a day.
During the tour, DP Chairman and Mina Rashid General Manager briefed the KPA delegation about the progress march of the ports industry and Dubai Ports' success story.
Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal is built on with an area of 28,000 square metres to allow Mina Rashid to serve up to seven cruise vessels at one time in its three terminals, said Bin Sulayem.
He stated that Mina Rashid Port has also increased its capacity to handle 25,000 passengers a day overall making it one of the most tourist-friendly ports in the world.
For his part, Bin Sulayem welcomed the KPA delegation, lauding the special relations linking the two institutions as well as the two nations.
He expressed readiness to cooperate with KPA to develop the performance of Gulf ports and to further strengthen relations between Dubai and Kuwait.
He unveiled that the trade exchange between Dubai and Kuwait jumped to 21 billion Emirati dirhams (about USD 5.7 billion) in 2014.
In addition to Sheikh Yusuf, the Kuwaiti delegation comprises KPA Board Member Anwar Al-Yassin, Deputy General Manager for Administrative and Financial Affairs and Kuwaiti Al-Doha Port Chairman Yahia Al-Abal and Deputy Director of the KPA Planning and Projects Department Salma Al-Marefi.
DP World has a portfolio of more than 65 marine terminals across six continents, including new developments underway in India, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Container handling is the company's core business and generates more than three quarters of its revenue. In 2014, DP World handled 60 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent container units). With its committed pipeline of developments and expansions, capacity is expected to rise to more than 100 million TEU by 2020, in line with market demand. (end) hni.ibi