AD Ports Group has signed a 30-year concession agreement with Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) to manage and operate the Aqaba Multipurpose Port, Jordan’s only and exclusive general cargo and multipurpose seaport, strengthening the Group’s investments in the coastal city’s logistics infrastructure.
The agreement will establish a Joint Venture to manage and operate the Aqaba Multipurpose port, with AD Ports Group holding 70 percent ownership and Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) holding the remaining 30 percent.
Under the terms of the agreement, AD Ports Group will invest a total of $38.4 million (AED 141 million) in the Joint Venture, in addition to bringing extensive port development and operational expertise to the transaction. The Group anticipates formally assuming operations of the port in August of this year.
The signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) in Aqaba, in the presence of Counselor Hamad Al Matrooshi, Chargé d’Affaires of the UAE Embassy in Amman; H.E. Mr. Shadi Majali, Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority; and Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director & Group CEO of AD Ports Group.
The agreement was signed by H.E. Hussein Safadi, CEO of Aqaba Development Corporation; and Ahmed Al Mutawa, Regional Chief Executive Officer of AD Ports Group.
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi MD and Group CEO AD Ports
“This agreement further strengthens AD Ports Group to drive long-term, transformative economic impact in the region, enabling further business growth in support of the aspirations of our partners in Jordan. We extend our appreciation to our partners at the Aqaba Development Corporation for their confidence in AD Ports Group as a strategic partner in driving growth in Aqaba City and contributing to the advancement of its economic ecosystem. We look forward to further strengthening our long-term partnership, founded on collaboration to achieve shared interests and mutual benefits.”
H.E. Shadi Majali, Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), commented that, “This strategic partnership represents a key milestone in advancing Aqaba’s role as a competitive and integrated economic zone. The development of the Aqaba Multi-Purpose Port, in collaboration with AD Ports Group, reinforces ASEZA’s mandate to create an enabling regulatory and investment environment that supports efficient trade, high-value logistics services, and sustainable economic growth.”
H.E Hussein Safadi, CEO of Aqaba Development Corporation, stated that, “We look forward to working with AD Ports Group, ADC’s strategic partner, to further develop and position Aqaba Multi-Purpose Port as a central trade and transport hub in the upper Red Sea region. Leveraging AD Ports Group’s expertise, global connectivity, digital trade solutions, and its expanding regional ports and maritime network, Aqaba is set to continue its rapid evolution into a world-class logistics and trade hub that generates sustainable economic growth. This collaboration strengthens Aqaba’s ecosystem across logistics, tourism and port services, we are pleased to welcome this important step forward with AD Ports Group.”
The Aqaba Multipurpose Port, marks AD Ports Group’s largest infrastructure investment in Jordan to date. The Group has worked closely with ADC since 2021 to develop Aqaba’s tourism, transport, logistics, and digital trade infrastructure. This includes the development and operation of the Aqaba Cruise Terminal, enhancing the city’s connectivity as a regional cruise destination, and the Maqta Ayla Joint Venture, which is building a digital Port Community System (PCS) to streamline cargo processing and strengthen Aqaba’s role as a modern maritime hub.
