AD Ports Group Enters Global Top 20 Port Operators, Survey Reveals

AD Ports Group has achieved a notable milestone by entering the global top 20 port operators, according to the latest survey conducted by Drewry, a UK-based maritime research and consulting firm. The UAE-based operator has secured the 19th position in Drewry's Top 20 League Table, part of the firm's 2024-2025 annual industry report.

This ranking reflects AD Ports Group’s significant growth and increasing influence in the port industry, driven by strategic acquisitions and operational expansions. The ranking is based on container throughput, a crucial metric in the industry. In 2023, AD Ports Group reported a 13% year-on-year increase in container throughput, reaching 4.91 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).

The group’s ascent in the rankings is attributed to several strategic moves. Notably, the group completed the acquisition of Noatum, a Spanish logistics and port services company managing 16 terminals across Spain. This acquisition, coupled with a 50-year concession to manage four berths at Karachi Port in Pakistan, boosted the group’s global terminal portfolio by 14% to 9.7 million TEUs in 2023.

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The group's total volumes at its UAE terminals also saw a 6% increase, reaching 4.6 million TEUs. This growth underscores the group’s expanding role in the global port sector.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, highlighted the significance of this inclusion, stating, "The inclusion of AD Ports Group in the Drewry Top 20 League Table of container port operators confirms the growing international significance of our Group. As we continue our value-driven expansion in trade, maritime, logistics, and industrial development, we remain committed to maintaining a leading role in the industry."

In addition to its achievements in 2023, AD Ports Group's Ports Cluster has continued to grow robustly into 2024. For the second quarter of 2024, the group reported an 83% year-on-year increase in revenue, reaching AED 563 million.

AD Ports Group's expansion strategy focuses on developing multipurpose terminals in key regions, including the Indian subcontinent, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, South Asia, and Africa. Recent agreements include new concessions to operate terminals in Safaga, Egypt; Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo; and Luanda, Angola.

In June 2024, the group, in partnership with Adani, acquired a 95% stake in Tanzania International Container Terminal Services (TICTS), further extending its footprint in Africa. These developments are expected to enhance the group’s terminal portfolio capacity by over 60% to 14.5 million TEUs within the next five years.

Furthermore, AD Ports Group is reinforcing its Logistics Cluster, which was rebranded as Noatum Logistics following the acquisition. The cluster's revenue more than tripled in 2023, reaching AED 1.94 billion, and in the first half of 2024, it generated AED 2.2 billion, contributing 26% to the group’s overall revenue.

AD Ports Group's sustained growth and strategic investments signal a robust trajectory in the global port and logistics industry, positioning the group as a major player in the international market.