AD Ports Group to harness power of high-tech hub for food and healthcare sectors

KLP21, the advanced warehousing and logistics facility, will be available in the fourth quarter of this year

Located at KEZAD, the hub comprises four warehouses with more than 80,000m2 of capacity - and is tailormade to support critical regional and international industries that require cold and ambient storage. Photo: SuppliedShow less

AD Ports Group is preparing to bring one of the region’s largest food and healthcare strategic storage hubs into the logistics ecosystem of Abu Dhabi.

The leading facilitator of global trade, logistics and industry has announced that KLP21 — its new advanced warehousing and logistics facility — will be available in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Located at KEZAD, the hub comprises four warehouses with more than 80,000 square metres of capacity tailor-made to support critical regional and international industries that require cold and ambient storage.

These sectors include healthcare, food and beverage, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and speciality chemicals.

KLP21 will be one of the largest and most advanced temperature-controlled logistics hubs in the region. Combined, the warehouses will be able to accommodate more than 100,000 pallets across an agile network of chambers which can be independently configured to a range of sizes and temperatures, including -26°C to 25°C.

Situated between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, KEZAD is AD Ports Group’s integrated trade, logistics and industrial zone. KLP21 will leverage the UAE’s strategic position as a gateway to Asia, Africa and the Mena region.

KLP21 is also strategically located beside KEZAD’s emerging Regional Food Hub — Abu Dhabi.

AD Ports Group says the arrival of KLP21 builds upon the fully integrated offering under its Economic Cities and Free Zones portfolio and answers increasing customer demand for temperature-controlled storage solutions in Abu Dhabi, in turn supporting safe and efficient distribution of temperature-sensitive goods in the UAE and the wider region.

KLP21’s state-of-the-art design embraces the latest technological solutions to boost efficiency and sustainability.

The warehouses will be able to accommodate more than 100,000 pallets. Photo: Supplied

These include advanced insulation materials to reflect sunlight, the strategic application of skylights to reduce energy use for lighting, recycling of water for irrigation, a centralised refrigeration system, plus use of primary, backup, and solar power supplies.

The latest HSEQ and ISO standards have been employed to assure customers that their products will be handled according to the highest levels of global regulatory compliance.

The KLP21 hub is being constructed by KEZAD with two of the four warehouses — each amounting to 20,000 square metres — to be operated by AD Ports Logistics.

It currently manages more than 350,000 square metres of cold and ambient temperature logistics storage space and says it is ready to engage with potential customers to discuss how the new facility can add value to, and serve their needs.

Within KEZAD, AD Ports Logistics already has a 19,000 square metres cold and ultra-cold storage facility that has been the cornerstone of Abu Dhabi’s global efforts against the Covid-19 pandemic.

As well as the locational benefits mentioned, the new warehouses are crucially located beside the world class Khalifa Port, Zayed Port, and Jebel Ali Port, within a 90-minute drive of five major international airports, and close to Etihad Rail’s future rail link, all working in concert to connect KLP21’s customers to a combined marketplace of more than 4.5 billion consumers.

KLP21 is also close to the E311 motorway, a major cargo corridor that ensures direct connectivity to all major markets and is served by a fleet of 400-plus transport vehicles — operated by MICCO — for domestic and cross-border road movements, as well as a network of world-class logistics partners.

The two warehouses operated by AD Ports Logistics are divided into chambers that can hold 60,000 pallets, managed by an advanced high-capacity VNA mobile racking system which, thanks to the facility’s size and efficiency, is capable of accommodating products of various sizes.

Cold and ambient temperature chambers are independently adjustable to ranges between -26°C to 8°C and 15°C to 25°C, meaning products of different sizes and temperature requirements can be accommodated.

KLP21 customers will have the opportunity to leverage AD Ports Group’s broad portfolio of trade and logistics services, including major ports, industrial zones, maritime services and fully integrated end-to-end logistics.

Among the service benefits customers can receive from AD Ports Logistics is a full suite of third-party logistics (3PL) and fourth-party logistics (4PL) services. This means the company can manage day-to-day logistics on their behalf, which also encompasses value-added services including repacking, speciality packing, and labelling.

KLP21 is is served by a fleet of 400-plus transport vehicles. Photo: supplied

AD Ports Group says KLP21 has been strategically designed to support the vision of Abu Dhabi’s leadership to establish the emirate as a major global hub for key industries such as food and life sciences.

The facility significantly increases AD Ports Logistics’ current cold and ambient temperature storage capacity and provides international and domestic companies with opportunities to enter or expand their presence within a region that is set to grow further.

The KLP21 project furthers AD Ports Group’s journey of becoming a major business facilitator and partner of choice within vital global industry sectors.

The addition is especially timely when global supply chains are increasingly shifting towards more robust near-shore and onshore sourcing of strategic goods and supplies.

Other notable regional hub operation benefits include high capacity and high stock turnover, scalable storage, agile and efficient supply chains, fully digitised and transparent track and trace solutions, as well as highly competitive utility and lease rates.