Trade Pulse Issue 12

TRADE PULSE

ISSUE 12 BUILDING FOR FUTURE SUCCESS

CAPTAIN MOHAMED JUMA AL SHAMISI

Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group

BUILDING FOR FUTURE SUCCESS

In December, we were honoured by the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who inaugurated Khalifa Port’s expansion and the development of South Quay, which we expect will substantially enhance the efficiency of future operations at our flagship deep-water port.

The event provided an important opportunity to reflect on how much we have achieved in recent times and particularly over the past 12 months.

As a short summary, we have come out of one of the most challenging periods in the history of maritime trade ,the COVID-19 pandemic and emerged as one of the most dynamic and innovative companies in our industry.

In 2022, we have grown from a local player into a publicly listed entity with an expanding

global reach. We have rebranded and restructured ourselves into empowered business clusters that work as one team and have doubled the number of employees since 2021, with more than half of our employees now working outside of the UAE, reflecting our global presence.

We have embarked on international acquisitions that have the potential to transform our business – Transmar, Global Feeder Shipping and Noatum. Each of these strategic investments provide access to new markets around the world, expand the range of services we can offer our customers, and create synergies through which we can streamline operations and accelerate financial growth.

In addition, we have acquired companies and announced joint ventures that significantly expand our customer offering,

such as SAFEEN Invictus, Divetech, ASCL, and SAFEEN Surveys and Subsea Services.

This has been amplified by the expansion of our fleet to more than 175 vessels, with new trade routes that span most of the world and provide the highest levels of connectivity between the Arabian Gulf, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, East Africa, and Central Asia.

175 Vessels

Throughout all this fastpaced growth, our clusters have continued to innovate and enhance the range and quality of services we offer. Just to mention a few – we have seen our Digital Cluster taking to the skies with a

drone collaboration with Emirates Post Group and SkyGo; EC&FZ launching dedicated hubs for strategic industries such as food and automotive; the Logistics Cluster diversifying our business model into green energy storage and liquid bulk terminals; the Maritime Cluster expanding our presence into more than 40 countries; while our Ports team is leading the way in

creating new state-of-the-art facilities in Egypt and Jordan.

All this has been achieved in parallel with our company realising record financial results, including a remarkable 77 percent year-on-year increase in net profits for Q3 2022, while also delivering on our corporate, social and environmental responsibilities.

The reward for all this success will be more challenges and more

opportunities for growth. Entering the new year as a truly global business, we can see that 2023 is going to be a pivotal year for us and for the communities we serve.

I am proud to be able to share this exciting journey with AD Ports Group’s stakeholders and employees, and we are grateful for their support and cooperation, which has enabled us to make our ambitions for 2022 a reality.

“In 2022, we have grown from a local player into a publicly listed entity with an expanding global reach. We have rebranded and restructured ourselves into empowered business clusters that work as one team and have doubled the number of employees”

LEAD FEATURE

As a result of the expansion, Khalifa Port has grown from 2.43 km2 to 8.63 km2, while its quay wall has been significantly extended from 2.3 kilometres to 12.5 kilometres.

AD Ports Group was delighted to welcome His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to Khalifa Port in December to inaugurate its expansion.

As a result of the expansion, which includes the development of the port’s South Quay, Khalifa Port Logistics, and Abu Dhabi Terminals at a total investment of AED 4 billion, Khalifa Port has grown from 2.43 square kilometres to 8.63 square kilometres, while its quay wall has been significantly extended from 2.3 kilometres to 12.5 kilometres. It now provides 21 berths and offers a range of bespoke services for key strategic industries, positioning it among the global elite of deep-water ports, with an estimated value of AED 20.4 billion.

The programme is set to make a major contribution to AD Port Group’s goal of increasing handling capacity at Khalifa Port by 2030 to 15 million TEUs per year, and general cargo handling capacity to 25 million tonnes.

Commenting after the inauguration event via social media, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, stated: “The opening of the new South Quay at Khalifa Port is an important addition to our country’s ports infrastructure. Its establishment builds upon the longstanding role that the UAE’s trade and logistics capabilities have played in our nation’s progress and development.”

H.E Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Chairman of AD Ports Group, said: “Today, Khalifa Port is one of the most advanced deep-water ports in the world. By continuing to expand our operations internationally, we are honouring the memory of the leaders who placed us on the path to progress. We have continued to reach new heights and deliver outstanding results through our expertise and global focus.”

Officially inaugurated by the late Sheikh Khalifa on 12.12.12, Khalifa Port was developed from a stretch of reclaimed land four kilometres out to sea and is now a major hub serving more than 25 container shipping lines with direct links to more than 70 international destinations. It has been ranked in the top five of the global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), developed by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, and now hosts three of the world’s top four shipping operators, CSP COSCO, MSC and CMA CGM.

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, said: “Everything we have achieved throughout our history has been with the support and guidance of the UAE’s leadership. We have grown

from a local champion into a publicly listed group with an expanding global reach. We will continue to grow and invest in the future, while demonstrating our capacity for excellence across international markets.”

The official inauguration of the expansion programme marks another major milestone in a year that has seen AD Ports Group list on the Abu Dhabi Securities Market (ADX), open new trade corridors, complete a series of major acquisitions, rapidly transform its business and portfolio of services, and build strong relations with existing and emerging trade partners for the UAE.

AD Ports Group has evolved into a significant driver of economic growth, contributing AED135.1 billion to Abu Dhabi’s GDP, representing 24.1 percent of the emirate’s non-oil GDP and creating approximately 191,200 jobs. It continues to attract foreign direct investment through economic cities and industrial zones managed by KEZAD Group and provides a broad range of digital services to enable trade and transport.

“The opening of the new South Quay at Khalifa Port is an important addition to our country’s ports infrastructure. Its establishment builds upon the longstanding role that the UAE’s trade and logistics capabilities have played in our nation’s progress and development.”

2022 – A REMARKABLE YEAR IN REVIEW LEAD FEATURE

AD Ports Group’s public listing on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange at the start of 2022 set the tone for a year of transformation and growth. With AD Ports Group’s global footprint now stretching to 25 ports and terminals, across four continents, the group worked across each of its integrated clusters to achieve its overarching ambitions to build increased connectivity and capacity, through major acquisitions, collaborative initiatives, new routes, and digital innovation.

investment and holding company ADQ remains a majority shareholder with a 75.44 percent stake in AD ports Group.

AD Ports Group completes successful listing on ADX

Kicking off 2022 with ambitious plans for future growth, AD Ports Group celebrated the successful listing of its shares on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). In the run up to the public listing, AD Ports Group secured a primary issuance of AED 4 billion (approximately USD 1.1 billion), the proceeds of which are funding plans for local and international expansion.

AD Ports Group shares began trading on ADX on 8 February 2022, under the ticker symbol “ADPORTS”, which was marked by a Wall Streetstyle bell ringing ceremony attended by AD Ports Group’s chairman His Excellency Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Managing Director and Group CEO Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, alongside several senior representatives from ADX. Following the listing, Abu Dhabi-based

Extending AD Ports Group’s international presence

Throughout 2022, AD Ports Group continued to build its global presence, signing major agreements with port authorities and partners around the world.

The Group signed a Term Sheet and a Head of Terms agreement with the Red Sea Ports Authority for major port projects along Egypt’s coastline. The first agreement was for AD Ports Group to develop, operate, and manage a multi-purpose terminal in Safaga Port in a consortium, while the second covered the development, operation, and management of cruise ship berths and terminals at Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada and Safaga ports.

Work continued on the development of the Marsa Zayed mega-project in Aqaba, in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which will include a new state-of-the-art cruise terminal and multipurpose port.

AD Ports Group signed two agreements with SEG, one of the largest oil and gas companies in Uzbekistan, to open new logistics and freight businesses and develop a food trading hub in the Central Asian nation.

The company signed a collaboration agreement with the Africa Finance Corporation (“AFC”), the leading infrastructure solutions provider in Africa, to address infrastructure gaps across the continent.

and supported by new automation technologies for storage, material movement, and sorting.

Introducing KEZAD Group to the World AD Ports Group launched ‘KEZAD Group’ as part of its plan to consolidate and grow its Economic Cities & Free Zones offering. The move followed the integration of Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) and Specialised Economic Zones (ZonesCorp) into the newly formed KEZAD Group, which comprises 12 economic zones with a total area of 550 square kilometres, including 100 square kilometres designated as Free Zones.

Throughout the year, KEZAD Group played a key role in the development of key strategic industries across Abu Dhabi. In June, it hosted the launch of the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy, a major initiative to strengthen the emirate’s position as the region’s most competitive industrial hub. Under the strategy, Abu Dhabi Government will invest AED 10 billion across six transformational programmes to more than double the size of Abu Dhabi’s manufacturing sector to AED 172 billion by 2031.

In support of the fast-growing e-commerce sector, KEZAD Group and noon.com broke ground on the UAE’s largest fulfilment centre in Abu Dhabi in November. The 252,000 square metre fulfilment centre facility is being designed and developed by KEZAD Group under a ‘Build-to-Suit’ agreement

Maritime Cluster continues expansion

The Maritime Cluster delivered a significantly enhanced performance throughout 2022, driven by increased activity in new business segments and service offerings, including feedering, chartering, transshipment, and offshore services, and accelerated by the contribution of several major acquisitions.

AD Ports Group acquired Divetech Marine Engineering Services, a UAE-based topsidesubsea solutions provider that offers a range of services including installation, inspection, repair and maintenance. The acquisition and integration of the company extended the range of services offered by the maritime cluster, placing it in a strong position to generate significant commercial, operational, and financial synergies.

To support this growth, SAFEEN Feeders launched several key new routes during the year. Via a strategic agreement with Bangladesh-based Saif Powertec Limited, SAFEEN Feeders opened a new trading corridor between Fujairah and Bangladesh, subsequently reinforcing this new collaboration through a further charter agreement with Saif Powertec Limited for three containerships.

SAFEEN Feeders introduced a new Southeast Asia service in collaboration with CMA CGM Group, linking Singapore, Colombo, and Chennai, in addition to a new monthly service connecting the Chinese ports of Shanghai, Qingdao and Ningbo directly with Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi. Not losing momentum in 2022, SAFEEN Feeders also signed a major agreement with Invictus Investment to launch a new international dry bulk shipping service, as well as a Red Sea service, linking Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals in the UAE with Port Sudan and Jeddah Port in KSA.

LEAD FEATURE

AD Ports Group achieves first international acquisition,

with Transmar and TCI

In 2022, AD Ports Group successfully completed its first international acquisition, acquiring a 70 percent equity stake in Egypt-based Transmar International Shipping Company (Transmar) and Transcargo International S.A.E. (TCI). Fully funded from AD Ports Group’s cash reserves, the majority stake was secured for AED 514 million (USD 140 million).

KEZAD drives automotive industry forward, with launch of Integrated Auto Hub

AD Ports Group partnered with Ghassan Aboud Group to launch one of the region’s largest export and distribution hubs for the automotive industry, located at KEZAD. Covering 3.3square kilometres, the Global Auto Hub – KEZAD will feature dedicated showrooms, storage, spare parts, workshops, test tracks, auction houses, social and office spaces, in addition to logistics, government and commercial support services.

Later in the year, AD Ports Group continued its progress towards expanding the emirate’s capacity in automotive trade, while furthering the nation’s net-zero ambitions, as its Economic Cities & Free Zones entered into an agreement in September with NWTN to launch Abu Dhabi’s first assembly facility for electric vehicles. Located at and constructed by KEZAD, the facility will provide manufacturing, research and development, vehicle testing and logistics services. The initial annual assembly capacity of the facility is expected to be 5,000-10,000 units, with ambitions to increase this capacity to 50,000 units a year in phase two of the agreement.

In 2021, Transmar, which operates regional container shipping across the Middle East, Red Sea, Arabian Gulf and Eastern Coast of Africa, handled approximately 109,000 TEUs. In the same year, terminal operator and stevedoring company TCI handled 92,500 TEUs and 1.2 million tonnes of bulk cargos.

Reflecting the enhanced synergies now available to the Group, Transmar launched a new container shipping service in November to link Karachi, Pakistan’s busiest port, with the major maritime economies of the Middle East and East Africa. The new service uses containers provided by Transmar on slots largely provided by other AD Ports Group companies, including SAFEEN Feeders. The new service will provide weekly connections, linking Karachi (which handles approximately 60 percent of Pakistan’s cargo) with ports in the UAE, KSA, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan and Djibouti.

Reinforcing food security at home and abroad

AD Ports Group’s ongoing efforts to support food security was one of the key themes of 2022. As part of the national Food Security Strategy, the UAE aims to become the most secure nation in the Global Food Security Index by 2051, with

a comprehensive national system to enable sustainable food production, and AD Ports Group has a clear role to play in achieving this goal.

AD Ports Group announced the launch of the ‘Abu Dhabi Food Hub - KEZAD’ in partnership with Ghassan Aboud Group and in collaboration with Rungis. The hub will cover a total land area of 3.3 square kilometres and feature market areas, complementary activity zones, industrial cold storage, logistics, waste management and water treatment amenities.

The Group unveiled KLP21, a new advanced warehousing and logistics hub in KEZAD, Abu Dhabi, tailor-made to support critical regional industries requiring cold and ambient storage, such as food and beverage as well as healthcare, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and specialty chemicals. Comprising four warehouses with over 80,000 square metres of capacity, KLP21 will be one of the largest and the most advanced temperature-controlled logistics hubs in the region.

As part of its support for global food security, AD Ports Group hosted the international conference of the World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) in October, bringing together senior public and private sector practitioners and experts from around the world. Food security was also a key area in many of the Group’s agreements and MoUs with international partners.

service that is fast, efficient, user friendly, and enables significant carbon savings. It is hoped that in future the service will be able to transport items such as vital medical supplies, fresh food, and urgent documents rapidly, with real-time tracking made possible via Margo Hub (Maqta Gateway’s integrated digital marketplace).

Pending successful trials and approvals, SkyGo currently expects the services to be launched in 2023.

AD Ports Group’s digital arm, Maqta Gateway, teamed up with Emirates Post Group and SkyGo to launch trials for a new initiative that would provide comprehensive aerial drone delivery and other services in Abu Dhabi

In addition to furthering the UAE’s use of automation and digital technology, the ultimate aim of the trials is to supply an express courier

AD Ports Group creates world’s largest independent feeder company with GFS AD Ports Group continued its plans for major growth as it acquired an 80 percent stake in Global Feeder Shipping (GFS). Fully funded through an acquisition loan, the AED 2.9 billion (USD 800 million) investment will enable AD Ports Group to develop the world’s largest independent feeder company by vessels owned, bringing its total owned fleet up to 35 vessels. The acquisition will also make AD Ports Group the third largest independent feeder company by volumes carried, as total container capacity rises to 100,000 TEUs. Following the successful completion of the deal, currently expected to close in Q1 2023, AD Ports Group aims to integrate GFS into its Maritime Cluster, alongside SAFEEN Feeders and Transmar. With GFS operating over an extensive network, currently connecting the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, plus Southeast and East Asia, the acquisition will open greater global connectivity, helping to bolster AD Ports Group’s hub and spoke model, and linking core markets regionally and beyond to Khalifa Port.

Maqta Gateway collaborates to pioneer drone delivery services in the UAE

AD Ports Group acquires 100 percent stake in logistics platform Noatum

Concluding a year of successful acquisitions, AD Ports Group took on 100 percent ownership of Noatum, a leading global logistics platform with a presence in 26 countries, with an AED 2.5 billion investment. By combining the existing capacities of Noatum and AD Ports Group, the aim is to build a market-leading international logistics brand.

Since Noatum already has a significant footprint in countries such as Spain (operating 15 cargo and container terminals across the country) and Turkey, the acquisition will expand AD Ports Group’s reach in new markets, such as the western and eastern Mediterranean. Noatum’s presence in the US, UK, China, and Southeast Asia will also add to the expansion of AD Ports Group’s global impact.

Port Logistics, and Abu Dhabi Terminals; as well as an increase in the size of Khalifa Port from 2.43 square kilometres to 8.63 square kilometres, and an increase its quay wall from 2.3 kilometres to 12.5 kilometres. Importantly, the event provided a moment of celebration for a most remarkable year in the history of the company and highlighted the bright future ahead.

Closing the Year with celebrations and big plans for the future

Finally, to close the year in spectacular style, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, inaugurated Khalifa Port’s expansion in December. The project included the development of the port’s South Quay, Khalifa

“AD Ports Group continued its plans for major growth as it acquired an 80 percent stake in Global Feeder Shipping (GFS). Fully funded through an acquisition loan, the AED 2.9 billion (USD 800 million) investment will enable AD Ports Group to develop the world’s largest independent feeder company by vessels owned.”

PARTNER DIALOGUE

A NEW MEMBER OF THE AD PORTS GROUP FAMILY

In September, AD Ports Group completed the acquisition of a 70 percent equity stake in Transmar and the dynamic regional container shipping company is already delivering strong returns and opening exciting new synergies for the Group. We spoke with Ahmed El Ahwal, Managing Director, Transmar International Shipping Company, about the story so far and the opportunities ahead.

giants we are competing with. Customers prefer to deal with companies that can react quickly in a volatile trading environment and the fact that we are a family business that has built a history with our customers increases the level of trust.

The industry is looking at significant declines in freight rates, which are forecast to return to preCOVID pricing levels after the sharp escalation in 2021 and 2022. That decline, coupled with the potential for a global recession, is likely to cause intense volatility in 2023.

AHMED EL AHWAL Managing Director, Transmar International Shipping Company

What do you see as Transmar’s competitive advantage, particularly given your strong roots in the region when compared to many of the global shipping companies?

Transmar launched in 1979, so we have more than forty years of institutional knowledge and customer relationships in the region. We are an agile company that can respond quickly to changes in the market and shifts in demand.

That means that we are more responsive to our customers and better able to meet their needs than the global shipping

In addition, we have grown alongside specific industries, so we are now specialists in the transport of specific commodities. Transmar started its operations shipping polymers and petrochemicals, so we have real expertise in this area. We are also the market leader in agricultural exports from Egypt to Saudi Arabia.

That is why joining with AD Ports Group is such an exciting opportunity – in doing so we are combining the nimbleness and agility of our business model, with the extended resources and expertise that comes from being part of a global group. It is a very attractive proposition in a competitive marketplace.

What do you think are the biggest challenges the industry will face in 2023, and how is Transmar preparing to tackle them?

However, we see that as an opportunity to focus upon growth and increasing our market share. The maritime industry has always been cyclical and falls in freight rates typically cause the smaller players to leave the market and the global players to focus on their core routes. That creates the opportunity for AD Ports Group and Transmar to capture market share and benefit when prices rise again.

What changes are you seeing in the market? In particular, what has changed since the COVID-19 crisis and associated lockdowns?

Globally, we have seen a change in purchasing patterns for certain commodities, as countries have focused more on regional sourcing and purchasing. For example, pre-COVID, many companies had become very comfortable with just-in-time shipping from major

suppliers in China, but I think there is more caution regarding that approach now.

Several countries are looking to source closer to home, to reduce shipping times and have greater reliability of supply. That has resulted in more intra-regional trade, so that in the Middle East region, we are seeing countries look to their neighbours for agriculture, food and building material supplies. Likewise, we are seeing growth in trade between this region and Southwest Asia driven by this rebalancing of trade.

Where do you see the major growth opportunities for Transmar? Which sectors, routes and markets are the most exciting?

Even though we are looking at global economic contraction in 2023, we are committed to grow and capture market share in our existing regions and others, such as East Africa, Southwest Asia and China. It is an exciting opportunity, particularly since our acquisition

by AD Ports Group affords us the opportunity to expand our reach significantly.

For example, in November, we launched a new container shipping service to link Karachi, Pakistan’s busiest port, with the major maritime economies of the Middle East and East Africa. It is a service that was launched to support existing customers, based on their specific demand, while also utilising the capacity of other AD Ports Group companies, such as SAFEEN Feeders and Global Feeder Shipping (GFS). This will enable us to approach other companies looking to ship to markets along the route, as well as companies in Pakistan looking to export their products.

It is just one example of the synergies in place that will support ambitious growth targets in 2023 and beyond.

What are the main benefits arising out of the acquisition by AD Ports Group, and how do you see the relationship evolving?

Culturally, we share a lot of similar traits. Transmar has a group structure in the same way that AD Ports Group does, in that we have the shipping line and terminal business, so we are used to unlocking synergies between sister companies. The opportunity to do that alongside some of the great businesses that exist within AD Ports Group – everything from MICCO through to SAFEEN Group, Noatum and GFS – is a real opportunity for us. We see it as a community of likeminded businesses, an ecosystem to enable success.

In addition, we share a similar sense of ambition and excitement about the opportunities within our global footprint. With the resources available to us, the routes, the assets and the capacity to scale, we are in an incredibly strong competitive position. We see exciting times ahead.

“Joining with AD Ports Group is such an exciting opportunity – we are combining the nimbleness and agility of our business model with the extended resources and expertise that comes from being part of a global group. It is a very attractive proposition in a competitive marketplace.”

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS – WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN 2023?

The coming year is predicted to present challenges for business leaders, with the spectre of a slowing economy and potential global recession looming large. However, AD Ports Group’s key markets remain resilient, and its operations continue to deliver. With that in mind, we ask a range of executives, “What do you think will be the big challenges and opportunities of 2023?

of 2022, to reach USD 64 billion.

We are anticipating growth from a short sea and regional perspective on the volume side, which we need to be positioned to meet, in the context of a wider global recessionary climate.

We also see an opportunity to introduce more resilience and connectivity for key markets that are currently underserved by the global shipping markets. Our 2022 acquisition of an 80 percent equity stake in Dubai-based Global Feeder Shipping (GFS) provides us with an opportunity to strengthen our hub and spoke model by linking core markets to key port assets such as Khalifa Port.

ROSS THOMPSON Group Chief Strategy Officer, AD Ports Group

Globally, we are likely to see slowing demand for transport and logistics and a decline in freight rates, driven by a slowing economy and easing of supply chain congestion.

Within some of our key regions such as MENA, Indian Subcontinent, Red Sea, and Turkey, however, trade is predicted to continue growing. The UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which was signed at the beginning of 2022, is already delivering increased UAE-India trade. China is also a growth area. China-UAE bilateral trade rose 28 percent in the first eight months

RICHARD SWEATT General Manager – Middle East, Euro Auctions

While there are many factors driving the industry today, we believe the key trend for the GCC region in 2023 will be infrastructure projects that continue to drive demand for construction equipment.

We have seen key infrastructure projects commissioned across the GCC. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Egypt have launched several infrastructure projects including railway projects, airport development, megacities and harbour projects in addition to improving the road transport networks.

Specifically, Saudi Arabia’s construction industry has experienced expansion in recent years due to the government’s long-term diversification programmes such as Saudi Vision 2030. This diversification programme to reduce the reliance on oil exports and the promotion of tourism has resulted in the construction of new hotels and commercial facilities. Added to this the need for ongoing construction of residential and commercial buildings means that the need for good construction equipment will be strong across the region.

Across the sector the need for mobile cranes and earth moving equipment dominate the

equipment market due to the wide application of use. We also expect the demand for more environmentally friendly equipment to increase as the regulatory pressure for lower emissions comes to bear.

With the various stages of these programmes starting and finished and differing intervals Euro Auctions is ideally placed as a resource to both buy and sell good construction equipment.

“We see an opportunity to introduce more resilience and connectivity for key markets that are currently underserved by the global shipping industry.”

PROJECT UPDATES

AD PORTS GROUP TO COLLABORATE WITH AFRICA FINANCE CORPORATION

AD Ports Group signed a collaboration agreement with Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Africa’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, to address infrastructure gaps across the continent.

Under the agreement, the two organisations aim to join forces to provide vital support for much-needed maritime and logistics infrastructure across the continent, including ports and warehouses.

Working together to achieve modernisation, increase capacity and enhance productivity, AD Ports Group and AFC will both contribute technical expertise, plus strong financial capacity and networks to a range of development initiatives, focusing on brownfield and greenfield opportunities.

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, said: “AD Ports Group sees a key opportunity to support African nations in their efforts to develop advanced trade hubs that can manage the rising volume of maritime commerce and deliver excellent connectivity. Working with AFC, we will look to prioritise projects that can make a lasting impact on the economies and communities of their respective nations, in-line with the direction of our wise leadership to support progressive development.”

Samaila Zubairu, President & Chief Executive Officer of AFC , said: “Combining AFC’s specialist expertise and outstanding investment track record with AD Ports Group’s technical proficiency, I am confident that our collaboration will yield the development of some of the most advanced integrated ports and logistics platforms in Africa and the world at large.”

The agreement addresses infrastructure gaps across Africa, such as ports, warehouses, maritime and logistics hubs.

EMERGENCY EXERCISE AT DELMA PORT

As a key part of Abu Dhabi’s ongoing emergency and crisis response planning, AD Ports Group led a joint training exercise at Delma Port in November, simulating a maritime incident at the port that required a coordinated and collaborative response.

A total of 13 government entities participated in the joint exercise, in addition to support from the private sector participants, including Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Centre in Abu Dhabi (Joint Local Operations Centre); Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority; Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, Department of Municipalities and Transport; Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority; Department of Health – Abu Dhabi; and Abu Dhabi Customs.

Preparation for the joint exercise included identifying all the roles and responsibilities of the participating organisations, in addition to appointing observers to evaluate team performance. It also included the formation of a communication management team, the identification of actions and priorities of the response teams, determination of the level of emergency classification, and coordination with the authorities.

Throughout the training exercise, fast response times and constructive cooperation between the public and private sector participants demonstrated Abu Dhabi’s safe and efficient approach to incident management.

AD Ports Group leads 13 government entities and private sector companies on major crisis training initiative.

PROJECT UPDATES

AD PORTS GROUP’S IDEATION PLATFORM IBTIKAR CELEBRATES TEN YEARS OF SUCCESS

AD Ports Group’s ideation management platform IBTIKAR has celebrated ten successful years since its launch in 2012, with an increase in the number of employees engaged with the platform, and increased adoption of submitted ideas.

IBTIKAR, which comes from the Arabic word for ‘innovation’, operates as an advanced, digitised, company-wide brain-storming session, where employees across AD Ports Group’s integrated clusters can submit proposals for new ideas that can lead to improved business operations, and better results for stakeholders and employees.

Since its launch, the platform has expanded from employee submissions to also enabling external stakeholder to propose new ideas as well. IBTIKAR has seen more than 2,000 new ideas submitted to the platform in 2020 and 2021 thanks to increased engagement with internal and external stakeholders.

of working, and consequently supporting our ambition to continuously improve and grow the experience we can offer to both employees and customers.”

EIMAN AL KHALAQI, Vice President, Innovation, AD Ports Group

Said:“IBTIKAR enables AD Ports Group to quickly gain valuable insights from the diverse range of experiences and knowledge that our internal and external stakeholders can provide. It is a truly innovative means of furthering innovation within the group, enabling us to quickly adopt new ideas and new ways

Since 2019, AD Ports Group has recorded a consistent increase each year in ideas submitted to the IBTIKAR platform, with at least 24 percent of these ideas leading to implementation. In 2020 and 2021, more than 80 percent of implemented ideas from IBTIKAR were also rewarded.

Due to the new ideas that IBTIKAR has enabled AD Ports Group to implement, the group has received several notable accolades for its adoption of innovation. In 2019, AD Ports Group became the first maritime company in the world to be awarded the ‘Innovation Leadership level 3 certification’ by the Global Innovation Management Institute. In 2016,

AD Ports Group also became the first ports company in the world to receive accreditation from ideasUK and has maintained a platinum accreditation for the last six years, achieving a 100 percent score in 2021, and 2022.”

To submit ideas to IBTIKAR, simply go to: Innovation and Technology | AD Ports Group

IBTIKAR provides a platform to efficiently share new ideas, leading to increased adoption of more innovative ways of working

PROJECT UPDATES

AD PORTS GROUP EXCELS ACROSS LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

From the UAE to the UK, in recent months AD Ports Group has been recognised in several prestigious local and international award ceremonies, with multiple wins.

Mostly recently, in the second cycle of the 2022 Harvard Business Council International Awards, AD Ports Group picked up seven awards, with recognition going to several of its integrated clusters, as well as individual employees. Due to achieving the highest result scores among the competition entries, AD Ports Group secured ‘top winner’ status in these awards.

At the Maritime Standard Awards, the Ports Cluster completed an impressive winning streak, as it picked up the ‘Port of the Year’ award for the ninth consecutive year. Abu Dhabi Maritime was also recognised at this ceremony, winning in the ‘Environment Protection’ category.

Highlighting the group’s commitment to furthering innovation across the business, in ideasUK’s Idea of the Year 2022 competition, AD Ports Group was honoured with two awards. In the ‘Continuous Improvement’

category, AD Ports Group was awarded for its Performance Improvement Excellence Programme (PIE). The company also received the Judges Special Award in the ‘People & Well-Being’ category for the work on its ‘One Team’ project.

Illustrating AD Ports Group’s commitment to delivering the highest standards of service to its stakeholders, at the International Customer Experience Awards, the Digital Cluster was recognised with the award for ‘Best Digital Customer Experience’, while the group has honoured with the award for ‘Best Customer Experience Strategy’.

These successes built upon AD Ports Group’s earlier performance at the International Stevie Awards, which recognises the achievements of businesses around the world, where the Group outshone international competition, and came away with an impressive 17 trophies.

The striking number of accolades collected by AD Ports Group and its teams in recent months is a testament to its commitment to excellence, as well as to the dedication of its people.

AD Ports Group celebrates recognition of employees and business operations across multiple prestigious awards ceremonies

RESCUING A STOWAWAY SNAKE AT KHALIFA PORT

Runaway Reptile is Caught and Safely Transferred to Emirates Zoo

In October, AD Ports Group staff, working with a specialist team from Emirates Park Zoo, conducted a safe and successful wildlife rescue following the discovery of a wild snake in the cargo hold of a ship in Khalifa Port.

The ship, MSC MAKALU III, had arrived from Mundra Port in the Indian state of Gujarat, when crew members spotted the animal.

Immediate action was taken by AD Ports Group staff to deal with the discovery, alerting the relevant UAE authorities and initiating safety protocols to extract the snake in accordance with international environmental standards.

A specialist team from Emirates Park Zoo captured and removed the snake, ensuring no harm or distress occurred to the animal or the people involved.

Following an examination at the zoo, the snake was found to be a 1.98-meter female reticulated python (Malayopython Reticulatus), which is a non-venomous species.

Following the rescue, vets at Emirates Park Zoo established a care and feeding schedule for the python. The python was also kept under a 30-day quarantine to ensure that it posed no health risk to other reptiles within the zoo.

Saif Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer, Ports Cluster, AD Ports Group said:“AD Ports Group is committed to ensuring the safety of our team, customers, and all the stakeholders we work with. Our team worked rapidly and effectively with the appropriate authorities to deal with this unusual challenge. We are grateful for the support of the experts from Emirates Park Zoo who helped us to resolve the situation quickly.”

The reticulated python is native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the world’s longest snake and among the three heaviest species. The snakes are reported to be excellent swimmers, colonising many small islands across Southeast Asia, although none have been reported as being able to swim from India to the UAE to date.

Throughout 2022, the Digital Cluster has played a key role in supporting AD Ports Group’s international expansion efforts, and today plays a key role in the planning, execution, and operation of major projects around the world.

As the digital arm of AD Ports Group, Maqta Gateway has spearheaded digital transformation for the Group’s clusters, showcasing digital transformation as a key competitive differentiator. Such has been the success of our work in driving digital transformation that Maqta Gateway is increasingly approached to develop solutions for ports around the world.

A good example of our success is our work in Aqaba, where Maqta Gateway is developing and operating an advanced Ports Community System (PCS) in partnership with Aqaba Development Corporation. The system is expected to complete around

two million digital transactions per year, generate considerable cost and time savings for stakeholders and customers, reduce CO2 emissions and streamline services.

ATLP, the official single window for trade, continues to enable better access for businesses to production inputs and support greater participation in global value chains. This is evident with the launch of the Food Import and Export Management Information System platform (FEIMIS) for the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), which provides a single window to facilitate relevant procedures, release food shipments, track import and export orders while ensuring food safety.

Most recently, we signed a Head of Terms agreement with the Ministry of Finance of Kyrgyzstan to develop a customs and border management solution and national single window for deployment in the Central Asian state. In Iraq, we are automating the receipt and distribution of cargo to and from the port,

including customs handling, storage, and bonded storage by a pioneering single window logistics solution.

We are also making an important contribution to engaging UAE national talent in the development of indigenous technology. The fourth edition of the Advanced Trade and Logistics Graduate (ATLG) programme, which offers technology development to female undergraduate students and recent graduates, attracted more than 4,000 applicants and trained 170 participants.

Looking to the future, we see huge opportunities for supporting the digital transformation journeys of AD Ports Group’s customers, with a particular focus on growth markets such as Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. We will also support the digital transformation of AD Ports Group’s clusters, as we look to fully future proof our operations.

DR. NOURA AL DHAHERI CEO - AD Ports Group Digital Cluster and Maqta Gateway

MAQTA GATEWAY TO CREATE SINGLEWINDOW SOLUTION FOR GOVERNMENT OF KYRGYZSTAN

In December, Maqta Gateway signed an agreement with the Ministry of Finance of Kyrgyzstan to initiate a strategy for developing a customs and border management solution, infrastructure, and national single window, among other digital services, for deployment in Kyrgyzstan.

Maqta Gateway has demonstrated compelling expertise in this area, having developed and operated the Advanced Trade Platform (ATLP), the innovative single-window solution designed to unify trade and logistics services across Abu Dhabi, including sea, land, air, industrial and free zones.

Dr. Noura Al Dhaheri, CEO - Digital Cluster, AD Ports Group and CEO - Maqta Gateway, Said: “We are honoured that the Government of Kyrgyzstan has selected Maqta Gateway for the task of developing a full customs and border management solution, as well as a national single window to integrate trade and logistics services. This agreement

reflects the trust that the Kyrgyz Republic has placed in our abilities, which will allow us to leverage our expertise and diverse portfolio of innovative technology in a key market, as AD Ports Group continues to extend its activities around the world.”

The agreement builds upon AD Ports Group’s ongoing strategy to expand its presence in Central Asia. In 2020, Kyrgyzstan exported US$70.9 million to the United Arab Emirates, with key exports including gold, aircraft parts, and refined petroleum, while the UAE recorded US$174 million in trade to Kyrgyzstan.

At the same event, an agreement was signed with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce to enter negotiations for more than 300,000 square metres of land within the Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) to develop and operate a logistics hub and customs area. Based within KEZAD’s Free Zone, the project will facilitate the import and export of cargo to and from the Kyrgyz Republic.

Solution will include a customs and border management solution, infrastructure, and national single window, among other digital services, for deployment in Kyrgyzstan.

CELEBRATING THE SUCCESS OF ATLP

Official Single Window for Trade in Abu Dhabi has supported more than 100 million digital transactions since launch.

Maqta Gateway, the digital subsidiary of AD Ports Group, began the operation of a new Port Community System (PCS) back in 2016, effectively digitalising and placing all necessary trade documentation under a single window. Initially offering shipping and port customers a modern, digital, single-window interface, Maqta Gateway received a new mandate in March 2020 to evolve its PCS. What was needed was a novel solution that fully integrated trade, inspection and clearance, through the creation of a logistics portal that could encompass trade by sea, land, air, and economic free zones, in turn facilitating electronic data flow between all the emirate’s economic stakeholders, including port authorities, customs, traders, terminals, and industrial zones.

This demand led to the roll-out of the Advanced Trade and Logistics Platform (ATLP), which has become one of the most sophisticated and comprehensive single windows for trade in the region.

Dr. Noura Al Dhaheri, Head of the Digital Cluster at Abu Dhabi Ports and the CEO of Maqta Gateway, explains: “Envisioned as a platform for unifying payments, permits, approvals and applications, as well as enabling stakeholders to better manage resources; ATLP was developed under the supervision of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development to serve as Abu Dhabi’s single window trade platform.

Its impact has been highly significant, streamlining trade processes, enhancing the customer experience within the trade and logistics sectors, and delivering significant environmental benefits by removing paper-based transactions and reducing waiting times at ports.”

ATLP has proven to be an unprecedented success for Abu Dhabi. As of December 2022, the solution has facilitated more than 100 million digital transactions. The projected impact of the solutions by 2030 will see the creation of more than 107,000 jobs, an AED 142 billion increase in imports and AED 111 billion in export.

Today, global trade demands digital connectivity and optimised ecosystems that combine physical

assets with world-class information management. As a result of the holistic view provided by ATLP, the depth and complexity of the world’s supply chain is becoming less opaque and more manageable for all its stakeholders. The diffusion of single-entry data portals for business-togovernment, and business-to-business messages is crucial to boosting efficiency by providing digital, real-time information to all players within the infrastructure of global commerce.

Strengthening the nation’s manufacturing and industrial sectors is a key strategic focus for the UAE, integrating a range of enabling policies such as Operation 300bn and the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy that seek to position the country as a global centre for knowledge-based, sustainable, and innovationfocused industries.

Owing to these farreaching initiatives, which offer improved access to finance and enhance the ease of doing business, Abu Dhabi is fast becoming the strategic hub of choice for those looking to forge the future of manufacturing.

As the nation’s largest operator of integrated and purpose-built economic zones, AD Ports Group’s Economic Cities & Free Zones is dedicated to continually

enhancing our offering to ensure that the nation’s capital is wellequipped to serve the anticipated influx of industrial investors.

This commitment has been the driving force behind numerous milestone achievements for our team over the past year, best reflected by the consolidation of our Economic Cities & Free Zones offering under the recently launched KEZAD Group.

We have continued our journey of creating specialised hubs for key industries in Abu Dhabi, launching the Abu Dhabi Food Hub - KEZAD and the Global Auto Hub –KEZAD in 2022. Set to be the largest of their kind in the region, these developments demonstrate our expertise in developing and nurturing ecosystems that support the growth of strategic industries.

In addition, we have focused

on enhancing our customer journey with the launch of new business lines, including KEZAD Communities, KEZAD Assets Management, KEZAD Industrial Services and JOSOOR.

As we look ahead, we are confident that AD Ports Group’s Economic & Free Zones ecosystem is well-equipped to welcome new investors from across industries and international markets in 2023, and to continue playing a vital role in positioning Abu Dhabi as a leading player in trade and industry.

ABDULLAH AL HAMELI Chief Executive Officer – Economic Cities & Free Zones Cluster

KEZAD COMMUNITIES MERGES WITH AL ESKAN AL JAMAE

Following the merger, KEZAD Communities will be the largest staff accommodation company in Abu Dhabi with owned and managed capacity of 135,000 beds.

AD Ports Group announced the merger of KEZAD Communities with Al Eskan Al Jamae LLC (“EAJ”) in December, to create Abu Dhabi’s largest integrated staff accommodation company. The combined entity will have an equity value of approximately AED 7 billion, positioning it as one of the largest such businesses in the UAE.

KEZAD Communities is part of the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi – KEZAD Group, under AD Ports Group’s Economic Cities & Free Zones. KEZAD Communities business dates back to 2005 and was operated previously under ZonesCorp.

EAJ, a leading staff accommodation owner and operator in Abu Dhabi, is a real estate development and management company that owns and operates ICAD Residential City in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi. The residential city has 58,000 beds along with recreational amenities such as restaurants and a mall. EAJ also operates several fully owned subsidiaries offering support services, including Khadamat, a facilities management company, EJRC, a property management company, and Your Laundry.

Following the merger, KEZAD Communities will be the largest staff accommodation company

in Abu Dhabi with owned and managed capacity of 135,000 beds. The combined entity will enable KEZAD Group to provide customers with integrated staff accommodation solutions comprising amenities and facilities (medical centres, gardens, sports areas, dining halls, and mosques) and services (supermarket and laundry).

Abdullah Al Hameli, CEO of Economic Cities & Free Zones, AD Ports Group said: “This merger with EAJ significantly expands the number of staff accommodation assets under our control and extends the range of support services we can offer to our customers. The merger enhances KEZAD Communities’ staff accommodation business and provides an opportunity

to enhance the quality and sustainability of staff communities across the UAE. We look forward to continuing the development of services in this critical market and contributing to the wider national goal of economic diversification.”

Dr. Saeed Khalfan Al Kaabi, CEO of EAJ said: “We are proud to join forces with KEZAD Communities, which has made significant strides to reshape the staff accommodation market. EAJ has pioneered a progressive and sustainable approach to the delivery of much-needed group housing development in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE, and this legacy will be extended through the expertise, resources, and reach of KEZAD Group moving forward.”

KEZAD GROUP AND NOON.COM BREAK GROUND FOR THE UAE’S LARGEST E-COMMERCE FULFILMENT CENTRE

252,000 square metre facility scheduled for delivery in 2024, bolstering local economy with the creation of thousands of new jobs.

KEZAD Group and noon.com, the Middle East’s leading online shopping destination, broke ground on the UAE’s largest fulfilment centre in Abu Dhabi in November.

The 252,000 square metre

fulfilment centre facility is being designed and developed by KEZAD Group under a Build-to-Suit agreement with noon.com and is scheduled for delivery in 2024. With the introduction of new

automation technologies for storage, material movement, and sorting, the facility will enable rapid delivery of products to millions of noon. com customers throughout the UAE.

The UAE’s e-commerce market has grown exponentially in recent years, with customers increasingly moving toward the variety, convenience, and price benefits of online shopping. With managing inventory efficiently and cost-effectively being critical to meeting the spike in online consumer demand, fulfilment centres not only offer scalable warehousing opportunities, but provide speed and quality control across the entire value chain, from order picking and processing to packaging and shipping.

H.E. Mohamed Al Abbar, Founder of noon, said: “More than 5,000 small businesses will use our fulfilment centre to store goods and conduct business. This will allow our youth and small businesses to connect with the growing number of e-commerce customers without having to invest in technology or real estate.

“I’m especially proud that this facility, built with our partners ADIO and KEZAD Group, will create thousands of jobs in Abu Dhabi

and will accelerate the digital penetration of core sectors such as retail and logistics. This is not your typical real estate project— technology infrastructure projects of this scale are change agents for the future, not just for our company, but also for our community and country.”

Capt Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and CEO of AD Ports Group, said: “Under the guidance of our wise leadership, AD Ports Group is committed to positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for trade through the development of an integrated and futureready industrial ecosystem within KEZAD. The stateof-the-art noon fulfilment centre perfectly aligns with this mission and represents an important milestone in our collective journey to enable the rapid expansion of e-commerce and sameday delivery models in the region. The facility will bring significant economic

benefits with the creation of thousands of jobs and will offer new opportunities for the private sector looking to reach customers across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe.”

While noon already has a facility with KEZAD, it has decided to expand its operations to a larger area by utilizing KEZAD Group’s Build-to-Suit solution, which will facilitate the design and delivery of noon’s turnkey facility. The development has been tailor-made to meet the company’s specific operational requirements, helping to reduce costs, boost productivity and offer essential supply chain efficiencies.

Additionally, the completed facility will be a sustainable building conforming to Estidama 2 Pearl rating which incorporates initiatives to enable water, energy, and waste minimisation.

KEZAD GROUP DRIVES ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND INNOVATION

Through strategic deals to drive energy efficiency in the region, KEZAD Group is providing the ideal ecosystem to support industry in forging a path towards a safe and sustainable future.

The UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 calls for access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. And while total renewable energy consumption increased by a quarter over the last decade, there is still great pressure for progress to be accelerated. Fortunately, the UAE has continually demonstrated its commitment to energy efficiency and decarbonisation through several initiatives such as the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic agenda, as well as the Energy Strategy 2050.

Launched in 2017, the UAE’s energy strategy aims to increase the contribution of clean energy in the total energy mix from 25 percent to 50 percent by 2050 and reduce the carbon footprint of power generation by 70 percent. The strategy also seeks to increase consumption efficiency of individuals and corporates by 40 percent.

As a globally responsible business, AD Ports Group’s ambition to support the UN Sustainability Goals and the vision of the UAE leadership forms a cornerstone of its growth strategy. This was made clear during the Group’s participation at ADIPEC 2022, where several landmark agreements were inked to

facilitate a brighter and cleaner future across its economic cities and free zones ecosystem.

Commenting on the nature of the deals, Abdullah Al Hameli, Chief Executive Officer, Economic Cities & Free Zones said: “AD Ports Group remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a competitive industrial hub at KEZAD while also contributing to a cleaner environment for the community. We strive to enable those businesses that are developing innovative and sustainable practices to help pave the way towards a cleaner and more efficient future, in line with the Green Agenda of our wise leadership.”

The first deal signed at ADIPEC, which reflected a major step toward energy diversification across its built assets, KEZAD Group entered into an agreement with TotalEnergies Renewables Distributed Generation Middle East & Africa, an affiliate of TotalEnergies, to explore opportunities to solarise assets across KEZAD’s industrial ecosystem.

Under the agreement, KEZAD Group and TotalEnergies aim to conduct a series of feasibility studies for distributed solar generation at KEZAD, covering economic, commercial,

regulatory, and technical aspects. A successful roll out of solar energy capacity across KEZAD Group’s built assets (which covers over 400,000 square metres) would enable the group to produce clean energy across its sites, while providing the benefit of unmatched green credentials to its customers.

Alongside plans to develop the world’s largest solar plant in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region, with a capacity of two gigawatts, the new agreement will significantly support Abu Dhabi’s aim to reach net zero through solar energy solutions, as well as the emirate’s strategic plans to install 5.6 gigawatts of solar PV capacity in Abu Dhabi by 2026.

Secondly, and a new joint venture, KEZAD Industrial Services was also inked during ADIPEC. This collaboration between KEZAD Group and Al Fanar Gas Group, part of UAE’s leading diversified conglomerate, Ethmar Holdings, will further AD Ports Group’s capacity to promote energy efficiency within the UAE.

KEZAD Industrial Services will initially focus on managing selected utilities networks and spare parts management, as well as investing in developing new infrastructure and superior management capabilities. The

new entity stands to widen and improve the offering available to KEZAD customers, by raising the available level of service and safety, ensuring improved efficiency, access to superior services and an increase in overall competitiveness.

Agreements signed at ADIPEC 2022 in fact follow a series of sustainable manufacturing deals for KEZAD Group in 2022, including a closed-loop textiles manufacturing facility and polymers recycling plant. Most recently, KEZAD Group

announced the launch of Abu Dhabi’s first electric vehicles assembly facility, for example, supporting the UAE’s aim to increase electric vehicle capacity and infrastructure.

The upcoming facility, which is expected to be completed towards the end of 2022, will have capacity to assemble 10,000 electric vehicles per year, contributing significantly to Abu Dhabi’s Low Emission Vehicle Strategy, as well as the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy.

As the nation gears up to

host the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, KEZAD Group has shown a promising ambition to provide innovative enterprises with a competitive business ecosystem from where they can accelerate decarbonisation efforts in Abu Dhabi. And with scores of deals for sustainable projects already signed, the future definitely looks bright for the largest operator of integrated and purpose-built economic zones in the United Arab Emirates.

“AD Ports Group remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a competitive industrial hub at KEZAD while also contributing to a cleaner environment for the community. We strive to enable those businesses that are developing innovative and sustainable practices to help pave the way towards a cleaner and more efficient future, in line with the Green Agenda of our wise leadership.”

2022 has been a year of substantial expansion for AD Ports Group and for the Logistics Cluster. We have taken the initial steps towards our mandate to build a leading presence in all major global markets, growing organically and through acquisitions, joint ventures, and partnerships.

To that end, we have already made significant progress in moving to a lean management structure that is focused on flexibility and readiness for future growth.

Perhaps the most significant initiative of 2022 has been the Group’s AED 2.5 billion acquisition of Noatum, a world-class logistics player which has a strong presence across major global markets including those in Europe, Asia, North & South America, and Africa. We are already actively working towards

Chairman & CEO - Logistics Cluster

fully integrating the Logistics Cluster with Noatum, to enable the creation of a market-leading, global logistics brand.

Why is the acquisition of Noatum so significant? Simply put, the acquisition enables our immediate expansion across 26 countries, providing us with high growth potential and capacity to scale. Noatum currently operates 15 terminals, has a presence in 70 ports and 91 offices around the world.

Importantly, Noatum also expands the range of services we can offer our customers. Its global logistics business specialises in comprehensive freight management, project logistics, contract logistics, international supply chain management, customs, and e-solutions, with strong competency in heavy lift logistics, for which we see significant demand in the

MENA region.

The company employs more than 2,600 professionals, providing tailored multi-modal transport solutions, comprehensive logistics services, and advanced port operations across its key markets.

With Noatum leading our logistics operations, we will be able to move to a new management model that will enable us to pursue additional strategic acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships on a much larger scale than ever before. The new model will help us unleash our growth potential as we accelerate our expansion into major markets around the world and realise our goal of evolving into a genuine global logistics provider.

FAROOK AL ZEER

AD PORTS GROUP SIGNS STRATEGIC AGREEMENT WITH AGTHIA GROUP

Agreement looks to optimise two organisations’ collective expertise in serving the food sector by supporting new series of digital-first initiatives.

AD Ports Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Agthia Group, one of the region’s leading food & beverage companies, in December, to collectively explore opportunities to enhance Agthia’s supply chain connectivity, improve logistics and operational efficiencies, and accelerate the implementation of digital-first initiatives.

In particular, the two companies aim to work together to optimise Agthia’s logistics operations, leveraging AD Ports Group’s experience in providing integrated and fully customisable end-to-end logistics solutions and supply chain data analytics, along with the two organisations’ collective expertise in serving the food sector.

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, said: “AD Ports Group has prioritised the development of innovative technology and advanced logistics

services for the food sector as part of our support for the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy, and we are pleased to work with Agthia Group to strengthen their supply chains and deliver new efficiencies by taking advantage of our world-class logistics infrastructure, capabilities and expertise.”

Alan Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Agthia Group, said: “Investing in supply chain efficiencies and digital-first initiatives is key to creating longterm value across our organisation. This important MoU reflects a desire by both parties to share their knowledge and expertise to improve the end-consumer experience and help future-proof growth.”

The MoU was signed by Mubarak Almansoori, Chief Corporate Services Officer, Agthia Group, and Qusai Kankazar, Chief Operations Officer, Logistics Cluster, AD Ports Group, at the inaugural edition of the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition.

ACQUISITION OF NOATUM PROPELS AD PORTS GROUP TO BECOME A GLOBAL LOGISTICS PLATFORM

AD Ports Group intends to create a market-leading international logistics brand, merging its existing logistics business with Noatum to create a significant presence in the region and enhancing services across the company’s global footprint.

AD Ports Group announced the acquisition of Noatum in November, a global integrated logistics platform with a presence in 26 countries.

The total purchase consideration (Enterprise Value) for 100 percent ownership amounts to AED 2.5 billion (EUR 660 million). This value and earnings accretive acquisition, which significantly broadens AD Ports Group’s global footprint and positions it among the leading logistics and freight forwarding companies in the world, will be fully funded through a new acquisition loan.

Recognising Noatum’s high growth potential and capacity to scale, AD Ports Group intends to create a market-leading international logistics brand, merging its existing logistics business with Noatum to create a significant presence in the region and enhancing services across the company’s global footprint.

Noatum, whose origins date back to 1963, operates in three business areas – Logistics, Maritime, and Port Terminals –with market-leading positions in Spain and Turkey and a significant presence in the US, UK, China, and Southeast Asia.

Noatum’s global Logistics business specialises in comprehensive freight management, project logistics, contract logistics, international supply chain management, customs, and e-solutions, with offices and a wide network of

agents around the world.

The company’s Terminals operations include 15 Ro-Ro, dry bulk, general cargo and container terminals in Spain, supported by highly professional management, while its Maritime division provides shipping agency services, including outsourcing and ancillary services, and cargo services, such as liquid bulk, breakbulk cargo, reefer and dry cargo.

In addition, the company has specialised automotive, project cargo, and port logistics divisions and offers comprehensive supply chain solutions in the oil & gas, renewable energies, food, industrial manufacturing, pharma and healthcare, and retail industries with customised solutions for clients.

Some of the revenue and costs synergies of the acquisition include joint purchasing, stronger relationships with shipping lines to attract them to the group’s terminals, expansion of the agency business by leveraging Noatum’s Maritime business, integration of corporate services and functions, transfer of best practices, and best-in-class technology.

H.E. Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Chairman of AD Ports Group, said: “Under the direction of our wise leadership, AD Ports Group continues to extend our global footprint through value-adding acquisitions and partnerships with market leaders. This ambitious

acquisition brings a major global logistics platform into the AD Ports Group family, significantly enhancing our global connectivity and extending the range of maritime, logistics and ports solutions we can offer as we continue to pursue a determined strategy for growth. This acquisition makes AD Ports Group one of the most significant global players in the finished vehicle logistics, which we intend to expand in our home and core markets.”

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, said: “We thank the leadership of the UAE for their guidance and support for this historic acquisition, which is set to be one of the most significant in the industry this year. Bringing Noatum into our integrated network of businesses will add scale and new layers of expertise, supporting both our global ambitions and our contribution to economic diversification within the UAE. Noatum operates an asset-light model with a high cash conversion rate and will make an immediate contribution to our financials, at the same time as positioning us for international expansion. We will leverage the acquisition of Noatum to build a strong international logistics brand with deep roots in this region.”

“This ambitious acquisition brings a major global logistics platform into the AD Ports Group family, significantly enhancing our global connectivity and extending the range of maritime, logistics and ports solutions we can offer as we continue to pursue a determined strategy for growth.”

This has been a transformative year for the Maritime Cluster, as we delivered our best-ever performance and expanded our operations across more markets than ever before. We enter the new year with an enhanced portfolio of services, a much larger fleet, a bigger and more experienced team, plus a compelling offering for our customers.

It is a very exciting time for maritime services.

Our numbers alone tell a powerful story. We have launched two major joint ventures – SAFEEN Invictus & SAFEEN Survey & Subsea – and completed four acquisitions, including international companies such as Transmar and Global Feeder Shipping (GFS), as well as Alligator and

CAPTAIN

AMMAR AL SHEIBA Acting Chief Executive Officer - Maritime Cluster AD Ports Group

Divetech in the course of 2022.

AD Ports Group has acquired 69 vessels this year and launched SAFEEN Group to provide specialist services through three key pillarsShipping & Transshipment, Offshore & Subsea, and Marine Services. We have also increased the number of shipping routes and boosted our presence in more than 40 key territories, including China, Singapore, and the Red Sea.

We are now the largest pure feeder operator in the region and the third largest globally by container capacity, and arguably offer the broadest portfolio of services of any company in our class.

With all this growth, should we be concerned about predictions of falling freight rates and global recession in the maritime sector? In fact, we

should be confident that the investment and development of 2022 provides us with an unmatched opportunity to capture more market share. We can respond nimbly to customers’ demands and scaling our services to meet their need, plus we have the resources to not only survive any downturn in the market, but to thrive.

CELEBRATING A SUCCESSFUL ABU DHABI INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW

Abu Dhabi Maritime announced the creation of new industry awards to recognise the best marina facilities in the region, as part of its efforts to highlight best practice and foster global growth of the sector.

The team from Abu Dhabi Maritime showcased several important new developments at the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show (ADIBS) 2022 in November, including the first comprehensive safety mapping of all waterways, jet ski licensing services and putting milestones in place to advance the superyacht sector.

Additionally, ten agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed with leading industry players, further supporting Abu Dhabi Maritime’s development of waterways, marinas and ports across the emirate.

Abu Dhabi Maritime also announced the creation of new industry awards to recognise the best marina facilities in the region, as part of its efforts to highlight best practice and foster global growth of the sector. The awards will cover a range of categories including safety, customer satisfaction and best practice, among others. As part of Abu Dhabi Maritime’s efforts to balance the growth of marinas with environmental care, there will also be specific awards for sustainability and ecological initiatives.

Captain Ammar Mubarak Al Shaiba, Acting CEO –Maritime Cluster and SAFEEN Group, AD Ports Group, said:

“AD Ports Group is pleased to take this opportunity to demonstrate the hard work and dedication that has been applied to make Abu Dhabi’s waterways safer and more accessible to visitors, while protecting our diverse marine ecosystem. Each of our initiatives, including comprehensive safety mapping of our waterways, licensing for jet skis, and superyacht programme, are improving the maritime leisure experience, by increasing quality, safety, and access.

AD Ports Group aims to support the diversification of Abu Dhabi’s economy, while also furthering sustainable best practice, to keep our waterways pristine.”

Captain Saif Al Mheiri, Managing Director, Abu Dhabi Maritime, commented: “It gives us great pleasure to be a

strategic partner and sponsor of the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show, an exceptional event that enables leading industry players and the local leisure marine community to engage and discover the latest developments within the marine sector. It also provides us with the opportunity to shine a light on our progress in positioning Abu Dhabi as an international maritime destination.

“We believe our new awards will encourage the development of smart and sustainable marina facilities and recognise those operators who balance their environmental responsibilities with their support for the maritime community. We are proud to launch these awards at ADIBS 2022, which plays such a key role in encouraging leisure marine, prestige boating and fishing.”

AD PORTS GROUP ACQUIRES GLOBAL FEEDER SHIPPING

Acquisition makes AD Ports Group the region’s largest independent feeder company by vessels owned, with an owned fleet of 35 vessels, and the third largest globally by volumes carried with a total container capacity of 100,000 TEUs.

AD Ports Group announced an agreement to acquire an 80 percent equity stake in Dubai-based Global Feeder Shipping (GFS), a global container shipping company, in November.

The total purchase consideration for the 80 percent stake amounts to AED 2.9 billion (USD 800 million), implying a 100 percent Enterprise Value of AED 3.7 billion (USD 1.0 billion).

GFS has built one of the largest fleets of container ships globally, featuring 26 owned and operated vessels with a total capacity of 72,500 TEUs, covering the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia with services connecting the UAE to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Sudan, Djibouti, Yemen, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China, South Korea, and Vietnam, among others.

AD Ports Group will look to integrate GFS into its Maritime Cluster, which already offers a comprehensive portfolio of shipping, offshore and subsea services.

Aligning GFS services with AD Ports Group companies SAFEEN Feeders and Transmar will make AD Ports Group the region’s largest independent feeder company by vessels owned, with an owned fleet of 35 vessels, and the third

largest globally by volumes carried with a total container capacity of 100,000 TEUs.

H.E. Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Chairman of AD Ports Group, said: “At the direction of our nation’s wise leadership, AD Ports Group has been on a journey of development throughout 2022, driven by both organic growth and prudent investments. Our acquisition of a majority stake in GFS, which is the largest external investment in our company’s history, will deliver a step-change in the range of services we can offer and significantly enhance our global connectivity. Our ambition is to become one of the world’s leading shipping companies, offering the most comprehensive range of maritime services, and this investment moves us significantly closer to achieving that goal.”

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, said: “GFS offers more than 30 years of experience and excellence in the provision of container feeder services in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, in addition to a diverse and fit-for-purpose fleet. Our Maritime Cluster has delivered remarkable returns in 2022, reflecting the significant market appetite for shipping,

offshore and subsea services, and integrating GFS into our operations will enable us to increase our customer base, broaden our global footprint and build upon this significant momentum. As always, we thank the UAE’s wise leadership, whose support has enabled us to achieve today’s historic announcement.”

Amir Maghami, Chairman, GFS, said: “This is a key moment for GFS, which sees our company become part of AD Ports Group to create the largest single provider of shipping services in the region. I am truly proud of what our team has achieved and excited for the future, which will see us continue expanding our global footprint. Our priority has always been to continuously improve our systems and processes to serve global trade, and under the ownership of AD Ports Group we will be able to deliver a new level of service and support for international customers.”

The earnings and value-accretive strategic investment significantly broadens AD Ports Group’s global feeder shipping footprint and contributes to its long-term strategy to become one of the world’s premier short-sea and feeder shipping players.

“Our ambition is to become one of the world’s leading shipping companies, offering the most comprehensive range of maritime services, and this investment moves us significantly closer to achieving that goal.”

ABU DHABI MARITIME UNVEILS PUBLIC WATER TAXI

New service operates across high-demand locations including Yas Bay, Yas Marina and Al Bandar, with further stops to follow.

Abu Dhabi Maritime launched a new Public Water Taxi service within the greater Yas Bay and Raha Beach community, in collaboration with Miral in November.

The service initially operates across high-demand locations including Yas Bay, Yas Marina and Al Bandar with further stops to follow. It is open seven days a week following scheduled timings which ensure vessel availability at each stop every hour.

H.E. Dr. Khalfan Al Kaabi, Director General of Operational Affairs, Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), said: “We are working closely with AD Ports Group as part of our collaboration with Abu Dhabi Maritime to provide advanced services that will boost the emirate’s connectivity making access to high-demand destinations even easier for Abu Dhabi residents and tourists.

The new Public Water Taxi service underscores our efforts

and commitment to developing state-of-the-art maritime services needed to support Abu Dhabi’s global position as one of the best destinations to live, work and visit.”

Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, said: “Our partnership with Abu Dhabi Maritime for the launch of the Public Water Taxi Service reiterates our commitment towards further positioning Yas Island as a top global destination for entertainment and leisure. With enhanced connectivity, residents and visitors will have the opportunity to navigate, explore and enjoy the island’s world-class offerings and landmarks.”

Captain Saif Al Mheiri, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Maritime, said: “The launch of Public Water Taxi services within the greater Yas Bay and Raha Beach areas represents a key moment in our long-term strategy to develop a world-class Public Water

Transport system in Abu Dhabi that enhances connectivity, promotes tourism and increases the emirate’s reputation as a leading maritime destination.

“We look forward to offering a new and unique travel experience for the public across Abu Dhabi’s waterways through the new service, and to advancing a multi-modal integrated transportation system in the emirate.”

While supporting a sustainable public transport offering, the new water taxi service will provide a scenic connection with the Al Raha community and will allow tourists to discover Yas Island’s increasingly popular waterfront attractions including the highly anticipated F1 2022 season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit. Supporting the event for the first time, Abu Dhabi Maritime through the Public Water Taxi provided a novel transport option for spectators to and from the event.

Looking back on a decade of continually striving to improve our services at Khalifa Port, it is clear to see that the secret to our success has been consistently embracing international collaboration and partnership, while working to create ports and infrastructure that meet the needs of future industry.

The vision of the leadership of the UAE has been a consistent source of inspiration. Over the last ten years, we have sought out productive relationships with our peers in the global shipping industry, forging new connections, launching new trade corridors, and connecting Abu Dhabi to the world.

Khalifa Port has continuously evolved to become one of the world’s

SAIF AL MAZROUEI

Chief Executive Officer - Ports Cluster AD Ports Group

fastest growing ports, with strategic agreements leading to the expansion of Abu Dhabi Terminals and the development of CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal, Autoterminal Khalifa Port, the South Quay multipurpose port, as well as the launch of Abu Dhabi’s first bulk liquid and gas storage terminal with Arabian Chemical Terminals and National Feed. With the launch of CMA Terminals Khalifa Port in 2021, we are now the regional hub of three of the world’s top four container shipping operators, MSC, COSCO and CMA CGM.

Amid this growth, we strive to embrace innovation and develop Khalifa Port with future opportunities in mind. Abu Dhabi Terminals was the first semi-automated container port in the region, while CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal has already

implemented the region’s first autonomous truck system, driving AD Ports Group’s ambitions to build a port of the future.

Alongside this, we are taking the lead in efforts to build green ports in support of the UAE’s net zero ambitions. Our work includes the introduction of energy-efficient measures such as cold ironing and our first net-zero construction administration building at CMA Terminals Khalifa Port, powered by a combination of renewable energy and offsets.

Looking to the future, we will aim to establish ‘green corridors’ with strategic partners across the globe, deploying zero-emission fuels and technologies along maritime trade routes between key ports..

FUTURE TRENDS FOR PORTS IN 2023

Trade Pulse looks at the factors and new technologies likely to shape the design and development of ports in 2023.

As the global ports sector looks to recover and move on from the challenges of the recent years, the hunt is on for initiatives and technologies that can protect the sector from disruptive factors, enabling greater resilience and agility, a better and more consistent customer experience, at the same time as enhancing the industry’s ability to achieve the goals of the future, including net zero targets.

Saif Al Mazrouei, CEO of the Ports Cluster, AD Ports Group, explains: “While the global maritime industry has been relatively slow to embrace digitalisation, we have seen the adoption of smart technology accelerate significantly in recent years. AD Ports Group has long been at the forefront and cutting-edge of industry-leading innovations to optimise logistics, customs management, and the use of Artificial Intelligence for real-time identification of assets. We see huge potential and opportunities for further smart technology implementation in 2023, as we continue to push the envelope in the design and development of ports.”

Here are some of the key trends likely to impact port development in 2023 and beyond.

Digital twins

Many industries are adopting ‘digital twins’ as an ultraefficient means of predicting changes to ‘real world’ systems, enabling them to react and adapt more efficiently. By using real-time data, simulation, and

machine learning, a Digital Twin connects the real and virtual worlds, producing forecasts and analysing big data to enable faster operations.

Experts believe that 2023 will be the year where the benefits of digital twin technology are applied to the supply chain. The challenges of recent years have highlighted the fact that a resilient supply chain is one which allows for maximum agility and flexibility.

In the case of ports, digital twins can be used to model a process or service before it is put into action, mitigating the cost associated with traditional, real-world trial and error and drastically reducing the time to market of a viable and beneficial solution.

Sustainable supply chains

The pressing need to reduce carbon emissions will continue to impact all industries in 2023.

Within the port sector, creating a more sustainable business will lead to an increased focus on green initiatives such as alternative fuel sources, including solar, hydrogen and biofuels. For shipping, the pressure to offer greener ports will also demand that ports have infrastructure in place to support vessels using greener fuel sources.

AD Ports Group is already making progress in this area by experimenting with biofuel enabled vessels and offering cold ironing to docked vessels at Khalifa Port. In addition, it has signed a new agreement with TotalEnergies to explore

opportunities to solarise assets across KEZAD’s industrial ecosystem. These initiatives and many more will continue in 2023 and beyond.

Last mile delivery

As an extension of the drive to reduce carbon emissions in the supply chain, 2023 will see greater focus on the very last leg of the supply chain, or what is now often termed ‘last mile delivery’.

That is because the last mile typically demands transport via trucks, which carry less than container ships, and consequently generate a much higher carbon footprint per parcel than shipping. Without intervention, the increased demand for home delivery is expected to lead to a 32 percent increase by 2030 in carbon emissions caused by urban delivery traffic.

To combat this, several large retail brands, such as Ikea, Walmart and UPS, are turning to electric delivery vehicles for a solution. Embracing a different method, AD Ports Group’s Maqta Gateway recently teamed up with Emirates Post and Skygo to begin trials of postal deliveries via drones, with the aim of reducing emissions associated with last mile delivery. Other solutions for larger parcels are also being explored and developed.

Fulfilment centres

As a means of both reducing last mile emissions and increasing the speed and efficiency of the supply chain, 2023 is likely to see an increased use of

decentralised inventory centres, including fulfilment centres and parcel lockers.

According to Shopify, constructing urban fulfilment centres could reduce transportation-related emissions by as much as 50 percent.

Fulfilment centres are also likely to lead to a more agile supply chain, with better data becoming available for each area, and therefore better predictability for restocking and redistribution. Diversifying its main strength as a manufacturing hub, KEZAD Group is already ahead of this curve, as it recently broke ground on a new 252,000 square metre fulfilment centre for online shopping platform noon.com, which is due to be the retailer’s largest in the UAE.

Automation

Along with the increased adoption of other digital technologies, such as AI, blockchain and IoT, 2023 will be the year where automation makes its mark on ports.

In fact, McKinsey Global Institute argues that the transportation and warehousing industry has the third-highest automation potential of any sector. The benefit of increased automation is its capacity to simplify logistics systems, making them faster and more efficient. Already embracing the promised benefit of automation within shipping, AD Ports Group introduced the region’s first semi-automated container terminal as well as a first of its kind automated truck system within CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal. In addition, more automation initiatives are currently being explored by all our partners.

Reshoring and nearshoring manufacturing

One of the lasting impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as current geopolitical conflicts, has been to highlight how reliance on one manufacturing source (or region) can severely disrupt the supply chain.

Partly for this reason, there is a significant increase in large economies ‘reshoring’ and ‘nearshoring’ manufacturing to ensure they are not fully reliant on a single external manufacturing base.

For example, the US is noticing an increasing trend of bringing manufacturing back to the US, or to nearby Mexico, to be less reliant on Asian manufacturing giants.

Reshoring and nearshoring have the added benefit of reducing delivery times as well as carbon footprint. Khalifa Ports’ adjacent location to KEZAD has made a very successful impact on reshoring manufacturing to the UAE, in turn protecting the supply chain to the wider Middle East and nearby regions, for a diverse range of goods, from food products through to automotive products and a number of other goods. This operational model is likely to be replicated across other ports in the future.

“AD Ports Group has long been at the forefront and cutting-edge of industry-leading innovations to optimise logistics, customs management, and the use of Artificial Intelligence for real-time identification of assets. We see huge potential and opportunities for further smart technology implementation in 2023.”

WORK CONTINUES ON CMA TERMINALS

KHALIFA PORT, WITH MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE AGREEMENT

Contract includes an award-winning net zero carbon administration building, 28 office and utilities across the terminal, more than one million square metres of yard paving, reefer stacks, STS cranes and access roads.

In November, AD Ports Group signed an AED 520 million contract with China Harbour Engineering Company for the development of buildings and topside infrastructure for the cutting-edge CMA Terminals Khalifa Port.

The agreement includes the development of the first net zero carbon administration building to be constructed for the joint venture, which is being developed in-line with the company’s role as an official partner of the World Green Building Council’s Middle East & North Africa Regional Network. The awardwinning administration building, which won the Net Zero Design Building Project of the Year in October, will be a highly energy efficient building that is powered from renewable energy sources and offsets.

In addition, the agreement will see the development of 28 office and utilities across the terminal, more than one million square metres of yard paving, reefer stacks, STS cranes and access roads.

The terminal, which is expected to be operational in H1 2025, will be managed by a 70/30 joint venture owned by CMA Terminals, a subsidiary of CMA CGM, a global player in sea, land, air, and logistics solutions, and AD Ports Group. Once completed, CMA Terminals Khalifa Port will have an initial capacity of 1.8 million TEUs, will be fully integrated with Etihad Rail and will significantly enhance Khalifa Port’s connectivity and position as a key gateway for the region.

Saif Al Mazrouei, CEO, Ports Cluster, AD Ports Group, said: “We are making positive progress on the development of CMA Terminals Khalifa Port, which will be one of the most modern and innovative terminals in the

region upon completion. Under the guidance of our wise leadership, we are incorporating sustainability principles into our construction plan, with the development of our first net zero administration building. Our design practice supports the UAE’s wider targets for building the circular economy, recycling construction and operational waste and using high recycled content materials.”

Yang Zhiyuan, CEO of CHEC Middle East Division, said: “We are proud to be selected for this flagship project, contributing to the development of what will be one of the most advanced terminals in the region.”

With fewer than 500 net zero commercial buildings in the world, AD Ports Group’s first net zero carbon building will represent a major milestone for the company and for the UAE. It will be one of the company’s first projects to use significant amounts of concrete with recycled content and save the equivalent of 38,721 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide over 30 years.

DAVID GATWARD,

Chief Engineering & Technical Services Officer, AD Ports Group explains: “With this project, we are looking to demonstrate that meaningful sustainability measures can be incorporated into the construction process with only a negligible increase in the budget. The longterm benefits of building the net zero carbon administration centre for CMA Terminals Khalifa Port will be significant and will create the opportunity for AD Ports Group to offer green business models for future tenants across our assets.”

“We are making positive progress on the development of CMA Terminals Khalifa Port, which will be one of the most modern and innovative terminals in the region upon completion.”

FACTS & FIGURES

KHALIFA PORT EXPANSION TAKES CAPACITY TO NEW HEIGHTS

Announced in 2019 and with a total investment of AED 4 billion, AD Ports Group’s expansion programme has expanded its flagship deepwater Khalifa Port by an order of magnitude, positioning it among the global elite of international ports.

Khalifa Port

Khalifa Port has grown from 2.43 square kilometres in 2012 to 8.63 square kilometres today.

The quay wall has been extended from 2.3 kilometres to 12.5 kilometres

It provides 21 berths and offers a range of bespoke services for key strategic industries.

AD Port Group will increase handling capacity at Khalifa Port to 15 million TEUs per year, and general cargo handling capacity to 25 million tonnes by 2030.

South Quay

Following the expansion, Khalifa Port’s South Quay now offers nine berths, a 1 million square metres logistics yard, and 75,000 square metres of warehouse storage space for import and export.

Khalifa Port Logistics (KPL)

KPL spans three kilometres of developed quay wall, with one kilometre with a depth of 16 metres dedicated to handling and storing chemicals.

The remaining two kilometres, which have a depth of eight metres, are dedicated to a ship repairing joint venture, offshore facilities, and a livestock receiving facility.

Abu Dhabi Terminals

Abu Dhabi Terminals’ expansion increases annual holding capacity to more than five million TEUs.

The facility has 106 stacking cranes and 22 ship to shore cranes.