Kezad set to welcome new graphene plant and drink line + DP World lands contract extension in Thailand

Graphene production is coming to Kezad

There’s more graphene news in the Emirates, after UAE-based NanoCarbonX and UK manufacturer Graphene Star agreed to set up a graphene manufacturing plant in Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Economic Zones (Kezad), according to a press release. Initial manufacturing is set for 2Q 2027, and the plant will have a capacity of up to 960 tons a year. Production is slated to go to key industries like battery and energy storage, construction, and polymers within the UAE economy.

Sound familiar? During the MIITE conference, wereported on another UAE-UK graphene tie-up, with Dana Gas and Levidian planning to develop the Sharjah Graphene Park, a USD 50 mn-backed manufacturing plant that breaks down methane into hydrogen and solid graphene.

… as is another drinks line

Kezad adds a drinks plant to the mix: Abu Dhabi Refreshment Company is investing AED 300 mn in a new beverage production and distribution facility at Khalifa Economic Zones (Kezad) under a long-term land lease with the Abu Dhabi industrial zone. The facility will span around 32.5k sqm, building on the zone’s existing food and beverage manufacturing base, which already houses PRAN’s 42k sqm facility.

And DP World holds on to its Thai gateway

DP World’s Laem Chabang International Terminal (LCIT) secured a five-year extension to operate the B5 container berth at Thailand’s largest container hub, Laem Chabang Port — extending the contract from May 2026 through April 2031, according to a statement.

Why this matters: Intra-Asia shipping has become one of the most contested container markets. Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia are now pushing port upgrades to handle bigger vessels and rising cargo volumes, positioning Laem Chabang’s next phase — and DP World’s renewed berth position — within a wider regional upgrade cycle. Laem Chabang’s next phase is designed to increase the port’s container capacity to 18 mn TEUs annually from 11 mn TEUs.

The regional buildout is already underway: The Laem Chabang extension fits a wider DP World push across Southeast Asian gateways. In Indonesia, the port operator is expanding Belawan New Container Terminal to 1.4 mn TEUs and building a new 3 mn TEU terminal with Maspion Group in East Java, alongside an industrial and logistics park. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, DP World operates Saigon Premier Container Terminal and has added a domestic coastal logistics service with VIMC Lines, tying port capacity more directly to manufacturing zones.