AD Ports Group Chooses Lead Developer for Marsa Zayed Phase 1 in Aqaba

Photo : Abu Dhabi Media Office

Abu Dhabi Ports Group has joined hands with MAG Group Holding to work on the first part of Marsa Zayed, a new beachfront project in Aqaba, Jordan, near the Red Sea. This partnership shows how Abu Dhabi is helping to improve the tourism industry around the world.

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Marsa Zayed is a big project that will turn 320 hectares (3.2 million square meters) of Red Sea beachfront into a place for both tourism and business. This area will also be a gateway to famous tourist sites in Jordan, like Petra, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Wadi Rum.

MAG Group Holding was chosen to lead the development of Marsa Zayed by AD Ports Group, which owns the land for the project. AD Ports Group is also in charge of the Aqaba Cruise Terminal, which opened in January 2023, in partnership with the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) of Jordan.

Marsa Zayed is a project created with support from both the UAE and Jordanian governments. The goal is to make Aqaba a bigger tourist spot and a main entrance for visitors to the Red Sea.

MAG Group Holding will be in charge of attracting investors and overseeing the development of Phase 1 of the project. This phase will cover 1.2 kilometers of Red Sea coastline and will include Zayed Riviera. This part will have four residential towers, a marina with around 1,260 homes and 117 retail shops, a hotel, a beach club, an Old Souq marketplace with 50 shops, the restoration of Aqaba’s famous Minaret, a yacht club, and a visitors’ center.

At the opening event for the project in Aqaba, AD Ports Group and MAG Group Holding started an international campaign to promote the first phase of Marsa Zayed. They expect it to become one of the most popular tourist spots in the Middle East.

In January 2024, AD Ports Group also signed an agreement with ADC and its digital arm, Maqta Technologies, for their joint venture, Maqta Ayla. This joint venture will improve how Aqaba’s port operates by using a Port Community System (PCS), a digital system from Abu Dhabi. This is the first time Abu Dhabi’s port digital technology has been used in Jordan.

AD Ports Group has also signed long-term agreements to build and run cruise terminals in several Red Sea ports, including Safaga, Hurghada, Al Sokhna, and Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt. They are also building a multipurpose port in Safaga and a Ro-Ro terminal in Al Sokhna.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, said: “Today’s event is a big step in our plan to help the Government of Jordan develop Aqaba into a world-class place for both tourism and economic growth. The first phase of Marsa Zayed will bring business and economic opportunities to the people of Jordan. We appreciate the support from ADC and MAG Group Holding.”

Moafaq Ahmed Al Gaddah, Chairman and Founder of MAG Group Holding, said: “We are happy to be part of this exciting project in the Red Sea region. Marsa Zayed will help unlock Jordan’s potential in the tourism industry and will create a strong and growing economy in this part of the Middle East. We aim to provide great services for both local and international customers while benefiting the communities we work in.”

Jordan is one of the UAE’s closest friends and trading partners. In 2023, trade between the two countries reached US$4.1 billion (AED 15.4 billion), according to the UAE Ministry of Economy. AD Ports Group, which is mostly owned by the UAE state investment company ADQ, is one of the biggest operators of cargo and cruise terminals in the Red Sea region.