PORTS-

AD Ports taps two firms for Angola terminal upgrade project: AD Ports Group has selected US firm Mar Construction and Sidara’s engineering consultancy subsidiary Dar Al Handasah to revamp Noatum Ports Luanda Terminal in Angola, according to a statement. Mar Construction will be responsible for building the topside and marine infrastructure at the port terminal, while Dar Al Handasah will oversee project management and construction supervision. The upgrades are scheduled to be completed in 1Q 2027.

Background: AD Ports secured a 20-year concession with Angola’s Luanda Port Authority to operate and upgrade the Luanda multipurpose port terminal last year. AD Ports is shelling out USD 251 mn to modernize the terminal and its logistics operations between 2025 and 2026. The port currently handles over 76% of Angola’s container and general cargo volumes and serves as one of Central-West Africa’s key transhipment hubs, enabling land-locked countries — including the DRC and Zambia — to access maritime trade.

On the cards: The project aims to modernize the 192k sqm terminal to offer high-density container handling capable of accommodating Super Post-Panamax vessels of up to 14k TEUs. Once operational, the project is slated to boost the terminal’s container capacity from 25k TEUs to 350k TEUs, while RoRo volumes are expected to surpass 40k vehicles.

IN OTHER AD PORTS NEWS- AD Ports boosts Khalifa Port’s fossils’ storage capacity: AD Ports Group has inked a 50-year agreement with local oil supplier and distributor Oylz Terminals to build a 600k cbm petroleum storage facility in Khalifa Port, according to a statement released at the end of March. The facility will be developed over two phases, with the first phase slated to launch in mid-2027. The investment ticket or total timeline for the project was not disclosed.

About the developer: Sharjah-based Oylz Terminals offers oil terminal services, including storage and distribution for petroleum products and its derivatives, according to its website. Oylz operates bulk petroleum storage facilities in Sharjah’s Hamriyah Freezone, with a total capacity set at over 59.4k cbm.

LOGISTICS HANDLING-

Emirates debuts Emirates Courier Express: UAE’s airline Emirates has launched a new end-to-end delivery solution — dubbed Emirates Courier Express — offering next-day urgent delivery and two-day premium services across seven markets, according to a statement. Emirates Courier Express aims to streamline the delivery industry as packages will travel directly from origin to destination, voiding traditional hub-and-spoke models with a package making multiple stops. The service was successfully trialed last year, delivering thousands of packages to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, South Africa, and the UK.

TRADE-

UAE’s trade and economic partnership agreements with Mauritius and Costa Rica have taken effect, Trade Minister Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said in an X post. The agreement with Mauritius is set to grow the Emirates’ economy by 0.96% and Mauritius’ by over 1% by 2030, while the one with Costa Rica could see further cooperation in tourism, renewable energy, food security, ICT, and manufacturing.

ZONES-

Jafza earmarks AED 90 mn for its expansion plan: Jebel Ali Freezone (Jafza) is investing AED 90 mn into the second phase expansion of its Logistics Park, adding some 360k sq ft of Grade-A facilities to the plot to bring the park’s total area to 922k sq ft, according to a statement from late March. The second phase of the park will ramp up power capacity to support surges and offer a comprehensive suite of advanced facilities, including loading docks, temperature-controlled warehouses, offices, and customizable units. The move aligns with the UAE’s target to increase its logistics sector’s size to AED 200 bn annually over the next seven years, the statement adds.

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