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Ports These acquisitions are part of Abu Dhabi Ports’ continuous investment in equipment to better handle the increasing general cargo and RoRo volumes. The state-of-the-art equipment will ensure sustainable and reliable services and continue to improve customer satisfaction – one of the core objectives of Abu Dhabi Ports. Apart from higher handling capacity, much of the new equipment also has an improved ergonomic design that provides equipment operators and drivers with better working comfort. Sixteen forklift trucks (FLTs),were the first equipment to arrive at Zayed Port. The new trucks, which have a lifting capacity ranging from three tons to fifteen tons, bring the total FLT fleet to over 30. Sixteen new terminal trucks are expected to arrive in February. With new additions, there will be over 30 terminal tractors in the two ports for general cargo and RoRo operations. In 2015, Abu Dhabi Ports purchased two new mobile harbour cranes with lifting capacity of 65 tons for general cargo op- News INDIA RELAXES CABOTAGE FOR MODAL SHIFT The decision by India’s Ministry of Shipping to relax cabotage regulations on special vessels has enabled the first domestic delivery of cars by ship rather than via train or truck between Chennai and the West India port of Pipavav, Gurjarat. A PM Terminals Pipavav handled the car carrier IDM Symex that arrived earlier this week with 800 Hyundai cars after loading at the port of Chennai on February 5th, in a pioneering use of economic and eco-friendly coastal transport of Indian-manufactured automobiles. The Maersk Group subsidiary has been supporting RORO services at Pipavav since 2015 following the investment by NYK Auto Logistics India in a new stockyard and pre- delivery inspection facility. “Our double-digit growth in general and bulk cargo, and RoRo volumes in recent years have necessitated an upgrade of the existing equipment at Zayed Port and Khalifa Port. As we expect to maintain the growth in the coming years, the new equipment will help to improve our operational efficiency, productivity, to meet the surging demand from our customers,” said Gary Lemke, Executive Vice President of Abu Dhabi Ports. erations in Zayed Port. Other new equipment purchased last year– three bucket grabs and two orange pearl grabs – have been facilitating smooth loading and unloading of bulk cargo. The new cars destined for West India dealerships were produced at the Hyundai Motor India facility near Chennai, in Tamil Nadu State. The company is India’s second-largest car manufacturer and for the past decade has been the country’s largest exporter of passenger cars. Project manager Link Shipping was responsible for pioneering the modal shift in a bid to show car February 2016 15