Construction of Emal's phase two expansion is more than 70 per cent complete and on schedule to meet its deadline of December.
Officials credit the progress of the smelter to the partnership with Khalifa Port, which serves the development. By the time the project is finished, around 5,000 containers filled with equipment required for construction, will have been shipped through the port on route to the Al Taweelah complex.
"One of the reasons for this success is the partnership we have developed with Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC), which has enabled the smooth and efficient transportation of the vital equipment needed to build one of the world's largest single-site aluminium smelters," said Yousuf Bastaki, Emal's vice president for projects, in a release yesterday.
Large bulk goods such as compressors, modules, transformers and turbines are discharged at Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi and barged directly to Emal's construction jetty at Khalifa Port.
"Emal's purpose built wharf at Khalifa Port shortens the supply chain of raw materials direct from sea to smelter," said Abdulkareem Al Masabi, the vice president Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi Ports Company. "We have worked closely with the company to provide the very best logistic solutions for the delivery of its phase two construction materials through all of ADPC's ports."
The addition of a new potline to Emal's smelter will increase its capacity from the current level of 800,000 tonnes a year to 1.3 million.