AD Ports Group’s Maqta Gateway to digitalise Aqaba port operations

AD Ports Group’s Maqta Gateway will hold a 51 per cent shareholding in Maqta Ayla, a joint venture with Jordan’s Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) that will digitise Aqaba port operations with port community system (PCS).

The implementation of PCS marks the first-ever export of Abu Dhabi’s key port digitalisation solution.

The PCS will facilitate communications and transactions between the Ports of Aqaba, its terminal operators, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, ADC, and other stakeholders within the port’s ecosystem.

It will also streamline services while building next-level efficiencies for the port city of Aqaba and Jordan.

The solution is expected to be operational within twelve months, with the expectation of delivering carbon emission reductions worth 90,000 in-person visits within a year of its implementation.

The Ports of Aqaba handle 80 per cent of Jordan’s exports and 65 per cent of its imports.

Aqaba’s Container Terminal is the second busiest in terms of volume along the Red Sea and fourth biggest in the region, with an annual traffic of approximately 1.3 million TEUs.

“This new agreement seeks to further strengthen our solid partnership with ADC and fast-track our joint efforts towards digitalising the Port of Aqaba, making it more intelligent, resilient and cost-efficient,” said Dr Noura Al Dhaheri, the CEO of Digital Cluster and CEO of Maqta Gateway.

“With digitalisation of ports’ processes; customer and stakeholder experiences will see a huge uplift, boosting trade and driving economic prosperity.”

The launch of Maqta Ayla is one of the key joint initiatives between AD Ports and ADC to enhance tourism, logistics, transport, and digital infrastructure within Aqaba.

AD Ports’ growing portfolio

Meanwhile, AD Ports continued to expand its presence in major trade regions and maritime routes in 2023 by investing in developing ports as part of the logistics firm’s broader strategy to enhance global trade and support economic diversification in the UAE.

AD Ports inaugurated the Aqaba Cruise Terminal, the first-of-its-kind facility in Jordan earlier in 2023 and closed the year with the signing of a definitive concession agreement with the Red Sea Ports Authority for the development and operation of a multipurpose terminal at Safaga Sea Port.

Noatum Group, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-based logistics giant, fully acquired APM Terminals Castellón in Spain for an enterprise value of EUR10m earlier in January.

The deal allows the Spanish firm to expand its operational capacity for bulk, general cargo, and container processing while maintaining APM Terminals’ third-party services at this location.

Noatum Group’s acquisition follows a string of deals and agreements as AD Ports seeks to become a more diversified, integrated logistics company.

The shipping and logistics group posted Dhs4.24bn in third-quarter revenue, a 189 per cent year-on-year increase while its net profit surged by 20 per cent to Dhs403m.

Read: AD Ports signs concession deal to operate Egypt’s Safaga terminal