Global marine terminal operator DP World, on Monday announced that its flagship Jebel Ali Port has achieved a new milestone, handling more than 500,000 vehicles in less than 12 months. This translates into almost one vehicle imported, exported or re-exported every minute of the day, 24x7. Achieved in the first 49 weeks of this year, the record exceeds the peak levels of 2008 when the number of vehicles handled through the port for the full year was 479,000. Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region, Mohammed Al Muallem, in a press release, said: \"DP World is proud that our flagship Jebel Ali Port continues to play its full role as the premier gateway to the GCC region. The record number of vehicles that have passed through the port\'s facility for roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) vehicle carriers reinforces the growth message for the UAE and the wider region that we are hearing from economic commentators such as the IMF. \"We congratulate the management and employees at the General Cargo Terminal on an excellent job done in handling 500,000 vehicles.\" General Cargo facilities at Jebel Ali include 30 berths and a total storage area of over 1.3 million square metres, comprising 1.2 million square metres of open storage and 100,000 square metres of covered space. General Cargo, DP World, UAE Region, Tariq Bin Khalifa, Director, said: \"Jebel Ali\'s strength lies in the high degree of specialization and operational efficiencies we offer in handling diverse kinds of cargo. By handling over half a million vehicles in less than a full calendar year our Ro-Ro terminal has once again proved its world class capabilities and the importance DP World UAE Region continues to give to general cargo throughput alongside our container handling business.\" DP World is expanding the capacity of Jebel Ali Port, with a brand new Container Terminal 3, and the expansion of Container Terminal 2, which are set to take total capacity of the port to 19 million TEU (twenty foot equivalent container units) by 2014. In the first nine months of 2012 DP World, UAE Region, handled almost 10 million TEU, 4.6% ahead of the same period last year.