DP World has signed two contracts for the first phase of construction of its fourth container  terminal on a reclaimed island at Jebel Ali Port.

Under the agreements, Dutco Balfour Beatty LLC will develop an operational yard area and a quay measuring 1,200 metres in length, while BAM International Abu Dhabi LLC will build a 400-metre-long bridge, adjacent causeways and a 2.2km quay wall with an 18m depth.

“This terminal is the big idea that will change the way ports work in the future,” said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, group chairman and chief executive officer of DP World. “We will deploy the latest technology in equipping our quays and yards, and run them with the most sophisticated terminal operation systems. We have a long track record of investing proactively to expand capacity at our operations to meet changing customer needs. We are building Terminal 4 from the ground up, which enables us to future-proof it for smart container ships emerging in the future.”

Terminal 4 will be ready in time to meet the increased trade over the next five years in the run-up to Expo 2020 and will be dedicated to the handling of containers, according to DP World.