13 minute read
AD Ports-Aqaba MoU AD Ports and Jordan’s Port of Aqaba have signed a wide ranging comprehensive deal.
AD Ports Group and Aqaba Development Corporation sign multiple agreements
Strategic Partnerships designed to boost tourism and provide Multimodal transport, logistics and digital solutions for Jordan
AD Ports Group has strengthened its regional footprint by signing a number of four strategic agreements and a Head of Terms Agreement (HoT) with Jordan’s Aqaba Development Corporation that will see AD Ports Group support the development of tourism, logistics, transport, and digital infrastructure within Aqaba.
The signing ceremony recently took place in Aqaba in Jordan in the presence of Nasser Shraideh, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, representing Dr. Bisher Al Khasawneh, Prime Minister of Jordan; Ahmed Ali Mohammed Al Baloushi, UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom and Eng. Nayef Ahmad Bakheet, Chief Commissioner, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Chairman of Aqaba Development Corporation, along with a number of officials from both sides.
The four strategic agreements and a Head of Terms Agreement were signed by Hussein Ali Alsafadi, CEO, Aqaba Development Corporation; and Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO, AD Ports Group.
The strategic partnerships concern the development of Marsa Zayed, a cruise terminal, and the development of an advanced digital Port Community System, in addition to Head of Terms agreements to explore the development and modernisation of a multipurpose port and King Hussein International Airport.
Marsa Zayed Land Agreement
development of a land area of 1.2mn sqm in phase 1 of the development of the 3.2mn Marsa Zayed area by AD Ports Group, which will include a cruise terminal, tourism, leisure, residential and other projects.
Cruise Terminal Agreement
Under this Agreement, which builds upon a Head of Terms Agreement announced earlier in the year, AD Ports Group will develop, manage and operate a new cruise terminal in Aqaba, which will serve as a gateway for passengers visiting the Red Sea.
Maqta Ayla, New Joint Venture
Maqta Gateway, the digital arm of AD Ports Group, has signed a joint venture Agreement with Aqaba Development Corporation establishing “Maqta Ayla” to develop and operate
an advanced Ports Community System (PCS). The system will oversee the communication between the Port of Aqaba and terminal operators, as well as the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), Aqaba Development Corporation, Jordan Maritime Commission and other stakeholders within the Port’s ecosystem.
The system is expected to complete around two million digital transactions per year, generate considerable cost and time savings for stakeholders and customers, reduce CO2 emissions and streamline services.
The HoT sees the Aqaba Development Corporation and AD Ports Group cooperating on exploring the development and modernisation of a multi-purpose port with world-class facilities including Ro-Ro, general cargo, grain and livestock handling.
The agreement will see AD Ports Group collaborate with Aqaba Development Corporation on the development of King Hussein International Airport – Aqaba, to enable increasing volumes of international and domestic tourism, ensuring a seamless journey for passengers moving between the airport and the Aqaba Cruise Terminal, while enhancing air logistics and expanding Aqaba’s air network connectivity.
“The agreements and HoT on the development of Marsa Zayed and a cruise terminal, exploring the modernisation of a multipurpose port, the development of King Hussein International Airport, and the establishment of Maqta Ayla for digital systems, represent a significant addition to our efforts that aim to develop Aqaba region, and enable rising volumes of visitors to come and experience the Golden Triangle of Jordan, with our unique tourism offerings of Wadi Rum, Aqaba and the ancient city of Petra,” stated Engr. Bakheet.
“Collectively, these mega-projects represent one of the most significant integrated transport, logistics and tourism development programmes announced in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in recent years,” commented Capt. Al Shamisi.
“Working with our partners in the Aqaba Development Corporation, these ambitious projects will significantly expand the facilities available to travellers and businesses via sea, land and air,” he added.
Strategic partnership
Alsafadi stressed the importance of this collaboration and strategic partnership which will help in creating investment and job opportunities, as well as foster the role of Aqaba as a key regional hub in trade, logistics, and maritime and air transportation.
“We are excited to partner with the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority for the development of a land area of 1.2mn sqm comprising real estate development projects, tourist residential complexes, hotels, chalets, commercial centres and theme parks. This significant project contributes towards positioning Aqaba as a major tourism and business destination in the region,” remarked Abdulla Al Hameli, Head of Industrial Cities & Free Zone Cluster, AD Ports Group.
“We are confident that this cooperation will prove beneficial for both sides, as it combines Aqaba’s significant growth potential as a cruise destination and a regional hub on the Red Sea with AD Ports Group’s leadership in providing advanced services and infrastructure for cruise passengers and cargo ships,” stressed Saif Al Mazrouei, Head of Ports Cluster, AD Ports Group.
“As a result of these partnership agreements, Aqaba’s cruise, logistics and shipping sectors will have to access a broad range of innovative technologies that support optimised services across land, sea and air. Digitalisation will introduce important efficiencies and eliminate risks from the supply chain, with a fully integrated platform that delivers the best possible customer experience,” noted Dr. Noura Al Dhaheri, CEO of Maqta Gateway, Head of the Digital Cluster- AD Ports Group.
“This strategic partnership will promote Aqaba as a major player in the region’s supply chain. The digital transformation resulting from this partnership will also create a new ecosystem that will enhance the resilience of the maritime sector in Aqaba,” concluded Eng. Mohammad Al-Sakran, Executive Director, Transport & Logistics, Aqaba Development Corporation.
AD Ports Group celebrates Khalifa Port’s nine years of growth
12/12 Anniversary marked by highest-ever position on Lloyd’s List Top 100 Ranking
AD Ports Group is celebrating the ninth anniversary of Khalifa Port with the announcement that it has reached its highest-ever position at number 56 in the 2021 Lloyd’s List Top 100 ranking, the global record of the world’s container port facilities.
Strategically located between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Khalifa Port was officially inaugurated on 12.12.12 by President HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Lloyds List highlights that Khalifa Port was one of only a handful of ports in the world to achieve doubledigit volume growth over the past year, despite the impact on shipping and the global supply chain due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This impressive volume growth is driven in part by its standing as a regional hub for some of the world’s top shipping companies, such as COSCO Shipping Ports and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company.
This growth is set to continue thanks to the recent agreement signed in September 2021, between AD Ports Group and CMA CGM Group, to build a new terminal in Khalifa Port with an initial capacity of 1.8mn TEUs. The terminal will provide CMA CGM with a new regional focal point, making Khalifa Port a hub for three of the world’s top four shipping companies.
Port-KIZAD proximity
Growth has also been driven by Khalifa Port’s proximity to KIZAD, Abu Dhabi’s integrated trade, logistics and industrial hub. The access to global markets and convenience provided by the joint port and industrial zone value proposition is a great advantage to the region’s manufacturing and industry sectors.
“Khalifa Port continues to expand in response to the ongoing market demand and at the direction of the leadership of Abu Dhabi, which has prioritised diversification and economic growth,” commented Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO, AD Ports Group.
“The port has cemented itself as a premier hub for container transhipment services in the Middle East and is on the cusp of
becoming a top 50 box hub in terms of annual TEUs volumes. This is a remarkable achievement given how Khalifa Port has attained this status in such a short timeframe,” noted Linton Nightingale, Deputy Editor, Lloyd’s List.
Khalifa Port was developed from a stretch of reclaimed land four kilometres out to sea and is now a major hub serving more than 25 shipping lines with direct links to 70 international destinations.
All round development
Development continues across all service areas to create a truly multipurpose port, in response to ongoing and exponential business demand. For general and bulk cargo South Quay is now operational, and great progress has been made on the South Quay Wall, with the majority of landside works completed.
In addition, work on Khalifa Port Logistics continues, with landslide works progressing well and infrastructure in place for the new Arabian Chemical Terminals commercial liquid and gas storage facility.
Work is continuing apace on the dedicated Khalifa Port Etihad Rail Terminal, which will connect the port to the national rail network. In November, Etihad Rail announced that it had completed 50 percent of the marine rail bridge construction to connect Khalifa Port with the network.
Other recent achievements include the announcement that CSP Abu Dhabi terminal is the first container terminal in the Middle East to implement an autonomous port truck system. A total of six electric Q-Trucks have been commissioned to support mother vessel loading and unloading activities within the facility’s container yard.
AD Ports Group’s Mugharraq Port recognised as an International Port facility
Port’s Certification Issued under the provisions stated under the ISPS Code
AD Ports Group recently announced that Mugharraq Port, a strategic port located in the Al Dhafra Region, has been recognised as an international port facility.
Issued under the provisions of the International Code for the Security of Ships and of Port Facilities (ISPS Code) by the UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the port has long served as a leading maritime facility that provides a host of offshore, project/oil and gas, general cargo, logistics support, bulk and break-bulk handling services.
With the new certification, Mugharraq Port can now receive international and local vessels including container feeders, bulk and break-bulk carriers, mobile offshore drilling units, tugboats, chemical tankers, offshore support vessels, passenger ships and high-speed cargo crafts.
Accelerating port potential
“This achievement will greatly accelerate the port’s potential in securing interest from the world leaders of industry, particularly those involved in the global energy market, while simultaneously opening up new opportunities in other industries and segments for us to target,” remarked Saif Al Mazrouei, Head of Ports Cluster, AD Ports Group.
AD Ports Group is close to completing an extensive expansion project aimed at enhancing Mugharraq Port’s infrastructure and service capabilities to ensure it is better positioned to support offshore and mega projects related to the oil and gas field.
Emirates Group Security and University of Arizona ink cooperation deal
Agreement to foster mutual academic collaboration and research
Emirates Group Security (EGS), one of the leading aviation security practitioners and learning and development providers in the region, recently signed an agreement with the University of Arizona (UA) located in Tucson, Arizona, USA, to promote collaboration in tertiary education and research on general and security-specific subjects from certificate to postgraduate courses.
This new dimension comes in the Customized Degree Paths Programme (CDP). The World Campus Experience Programme is delivered online by UA with supplemental on-site services and courses provided by EGS.
Through the agreement, UA and EGS will jointly offer 60 programmes, to be delivered entirely online in English by appointed and qualified faculty members at the University of Arizona. Students will have access to the course materials and virtual lectures through the EGS Centre of Aviation Security Studies’ (CASS) campus in Dubai (UAE).
They will be able to use the facilities and services of the campus to experience a unique in-person college experience with the convenience of online education.
Mutual collaboration
Mutual collaboration between the two organisations enables incoming students to earn up to two years of direct, undergraduate credits from the University of Arizona through a mix of in-person and online courses offered through EGS and on EGS’s campus in collaboration with the University of Arizona.
The programme includes multiple academic pathways which will enable students to take courses that will satisfy University of Arizona degree requirements or transfer to other US universities.
“This agreement marks another step forward towards our vision of strengthening the global aviation community by providing AVSEC industry professionals with comprehensive, cutting-edge education, research opportunities and training,” observed Dr Abdulla Al Hashimi, Divisional Senior Vice President of Emirates Group Security.
“This new agreement creates a University of Arizona global location that will provide opportunities for EGS employees and citizens and residents of the UAE to pursue higher education and we are pleased to be a part of this initiative,” affirmed Liesl Folks, University of Arizona’s Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.
Continuing cooperation
“We look forward to continuing the collaboration we began with EGS in 2016 as we develop these new customized degree programmes that will benefit students in the UAE and positively impact industry standards,” asserted JP Jones, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona.
“Through this agreement with EGS we continue to build our worldwide network, and to prepare graduates to excel globally and provide strong leadership in the 21st century,” noted Arizona’s Daniel Palm, associate vice president for global affairs.
The agreement is aligned with the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO’s ‘Year of Security Culture’ initiative that encourages industry stakeholders to support and promote a securityconscious environment.
Robust partnership
This collaboration aims to create a robust international partnership that will benefit many aviation professionals. By working together and sharing best practices, the organisations will draw strengths to develop a widespread network of welleducated aviation professionals.
The agreement also aligns with the vision and strategy of the UAE leadership and its commitment to further improve its already top global safest city rankings by ensuring the highest safety and security benchmarks, especially in areas of education.
Well-established in the aviation security industry for over three decades, EGS provides a comprehensive curriculum of aviation and security-related programmes affiliated with leading local and international certification bodies and educational institutions. The organisation delivers over 30 courses and two diploma programmes in its training institute and has become a beacon for specialised security studies and education in the region.
Join NAFL / FIATA to get connected for networking and business opportunities
Membership open for 2021
TRAINING
Most powerful network in the world for freight and logistics SCHOLARSHIPS FOR DESERVING UAE NATIONALS
Here’s why you should consider being a member: International Benefits:
+ The FIATA member certificate + Use of the Fiata logo + Entry in the FIATA members directory & networking events + Advertising in the FIATA members directory, review and information (FIATA e-Flash) + Special Rates for FIATA publication and articles + Access to secretariat›s assistance + FIATA arbitration code + Use of FIATA documents + FIATA worldwide member connectivity + Talent Connect Worldwide, E-Learning
National Benefits:
+ The NAFL member certificate + Use of the NAFL logo + Free access to networking events + Discountes rates in participating in global and regional conferences + Asssistance in case of legal advocacy + Discounts for cargo/logistic events and exhibition stands + Discount training for NAFL members + Training/Certification for regional/international courses + Insurance at discounted rates (cargo/liability/medical) + Complimentary internship, Skill upgrade and Mentoring & Innovation ideas + Discounted supplier rates for industry products
Be the Industry voice, protect yourself by STC, Insurance and maritime advice, network B2B, B2C
National Association of Freight & Logistics ACCREDITATIONS
the global voice of freight logistics FIATA LEARNING ACADEMY
