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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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