The capacity of Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Port will increase by 50% by the end of 2020 as part of a AED3.8bn (USD1bn) expansion of the emirate’s main port announced on Wednesday. Khalifa Port, which opened in 2012, is between Abu Dhabi city and Dubai where the region’s largest transshipment port Jebeli Ali is located. The container port’s handling capacity will increase to 7.5mn twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) a year, up from 5mn, with a AED1.6bn investment from Abu Dhabi Terminals, owned by state-run Abu Dhabi Ports and Swiss-based Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC). The port is expected to handle 2.5mn TEUs this year, up from 1.7mn in 2018, according to state owner Abu Dhabi Ports. The expansion will be partly self-financed with the rest raised through local banks, executives said. Khalifa Port will invest a further AED2.2bn on the South Quay development and Khalifa Port Logistics which will include new quay walls and additional terminal yard space to be completed by the first quarter 2021.