AD Ports readies boxship investments in Caspian region

AD Ports Group has moved to expand its operations in the Caspian Sea region with two containership newbuilds.

Noatum, the maritime and shipping arm of the Abu Dhabi-based ports and logistics giant, has signed a deal with Kazmortransflot, a subsidiary of Kazakh national oil company KazMunayGas, to build a pair of 500+ teu boxships specifically designed for operations in the Caspian Sea.

AD Ports said that these relatively larger vessels, compared to existing capacity in the Caspian Sea, would offer enhanced turnaround times and provide increased capacity, while advanced cargo handling systems would support improved scheduling and operational efficiency.

AD Ports and KazMunayGas established an offshore and shipping services joint venture in Kazakhstan in 2022 and expanded their cooperation in 2023 with a deal to set up a shipbuilding and repair facility in the country.

The jv called Caspian Integrated Maritime Solutions (CIMS) has since been adding tankers to its expanding operation in the region and has set sights on further fleet growth.  The duo has also confirmed plans to develop the next-generation trans-Caspian Sea intermodal system via high-capacity ferries and the corresponding terminal infrastructure, which is expected to shorten the transit time for Kazakh exporters and all stakeholders of the middle corridor.

“We remain deeply committed towards our vision of facilitating international trade by enhancing and expanding our collaboration with our valued partners in Kazakhstan,” said Ammar Al Shaiba, CEO of Maritime & Shipping Cluster at AD Ports Group.