AD Ports Group, the operator of industrial cities and free zones, started trial operations at Noatum Ports – Safaga Terminal in Egypt as the company seeks to boost its presence across the Red Sea.
The trial operations are being launched before the terminal’s full operations later this year, AD Ports said on Tuesday.
The project spans about 810,000 square metres, with a 1,000-metre quay wall designed to handle up to 450,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), alongside 5 million tonnes of dry bulk and general cargo, 1 million tonnes of liquid bulk, and 50,000 CEUs (car-equivalent units) of Ro-Ro cargo.
It is being delivered under a 30-year concession agreement signed in 2023 for the development and operation of the multipurpose terminal, in partnership with Egypt’s Red Sea Ports Authority (RSPA).
“Safaga Terminal serves as a key gateway for the development of Upper Egypt and will play a vital role in supporting the mining activities associated with the Golden Triangle Economic Zone, facilitating import and export operations, and enabling development projects across Northern, Central, and Southern Upper Egypt through enhanced connectivity with the port,” Lt Gen Kamel El-Wazir, Egypt’s Minister of Transport, said.
The Golden Triangle is a major economic zone established by the Egyptian government to drive investment in sectors including mining, agriculture and tourism along the Red Sea coast.
The economic zone is already attracting investments, with China's Xingfa chemicals group announcing plans to invest $2 billion in phosphate exploration projects in the Golden Triangle in January.
“Egypt is one of the group’s most important international markets, and serves as a major trade gateway along the group’s global network, spanning Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America,” Capt Mohamed Al Shamisi, managing director and group chief executive of Abu Dhabi Ports Group, said.
“With strategic access to the Red Sea, Noatum Ports – Safaga Terminal reinforces our position as an enabler of trade across key waterways.”
Abu Dhabi-listed AD Ports Group is focusing on expanding its operations in Egypt and along the Red Sea.
The group recently announced the commencement of cruise services at its three terminals in Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, and Safaga in Egypt, in addition to enabling ferry services connecting the ports of Safaga and Neom to support the transport of Hajj workers between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
It is also developing the 20 square kilometres Kezad East Port Said Industrial and Logistics Park with Egyptian partners at the Mediterranean gateway of the Suez Canal.
In November last year, AD Ports invested 13.2 billion Egyptian pounds ($279 million) to acquire a 19.3 per cent stake in one of Egypt’s largest container terminal operators, Alexandria Container & Cargo Handling Company, and subsequently moved to acquire a majority stake in the company.
Countries across the Middle East are developing new trade routes and boosting logistics centres as the Strait of Hormuz, a key trade gateway in the Arabian Gulf, remains closed amid the Iran war.
