Khalifa Port is abu Dhabi's deep-water semi-automated container gateway, built around industrial rather than retail cargo, operated by AD Ports Group at Abu Dhabi. It works 18 m of alongside draft and around 9 million TEU after the CMA Terminals and COSCO expansions. Cargo discharged here clears under United Arab Emirates rules — 5% customs duty, 5% VAT and 1–3 working days for a complete file. Your cargo is destined for an Abu Dhabi industrial site or EPC project — routing via Khalifa Port avoids the Dubai–Abu Dhabi trucking leg and the congestion window at Jebel Ali gates.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
| Operator | AD Ports Group |
| Container capacity | Around 9 million TEU after the CMA Terminals and COSCO expansions |
| Alongside draft | 18 m |
| Cargo handled | Industrial raw materials, Aluminium and steel, Petrochemicals and polymers, Project cargo for EPC contracts |
| Hinterland served | Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Ruwais and the Western Region, with direct road access to KIZAD industrial land |
| Attached facilities | KEZAD/KIZAD industrial zone is directly connected to the terminal, and the port has a dedicated rail link to the Etihad Rail network |
| Origin | Est. freight (USD) | Transit (days) | Service into this port | Route detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | $1,500 | 12 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| China | $2,200 | 22 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| South Korea | $2,400 | 24 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Netherlands | $3,038 | 29 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Germany | $3,200 | 31 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Egypt | $1,400 | 6 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Turkey | $1,900 | 14 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Singapore | $2,000 | 12 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Vietnam | $2,300 | 23 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Italy | $2,900 | 20 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| USA | $4,200 | 38 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
Your cargo is destined for an Abu Dhabi industrial site or EPC project — routing via Khalifa Port avoids the Dubai–Abu Dhabi trucking leg and the congestion window at Jebel Ali gates.
Inland, Khalifa Port serves Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Ruwais and the Western Region, with direct road access to KIZAD industrial land. KEZAD/KIZAD industrial zone is directly connected to the terminal, and the port has a dedicated rail link to the Etihad Rail network.
The lanes with the strongest direct or high-frequency service into Khalifa Port are China, India, South Korea, Germany, Netherlands — those sailings are usually the cheapest and most schedule-reliable way to reach this terminal.
The UAE is the Gulf's re-export hub: cargo landing at Jebel Ali is frequently cleared into a free zone and moved on to Saudi Arabia, East Africa or the wider GCC rather than consumed locally.
Cargo discharged at Khalifa Port clears under United Arab Emirates customs rules — AED is the settlement currency and duty and VAT are assessed on the declared CIF value. Importers routing through Khalifa Port should budget both the ocean freight shown above and destination charges (THC, documentation, delivery order and inland haulage), which the landed cost calculator itemises.
Estimate all-in shipping costs into Khalifa Port.