AD Ports Group Secures a 20-Year Agreement to Operate and Upgrade the Existing Luanda Multipurpose Port Terminal in Angola

Abu Dhabi, UAE/ Luanda, Angola – 23 April 2024:AD Ports Group (ADX: ADPORTS), a main facilitator of worldwide commerce, logistics, and trade, has signed a number of agreements with Unicargas and Multiparques main to securing a 20-year concession settlement (extendable for an additional 10 years) with the Luanda Port Authority for the operation and improve of the current Luanda multipurpose port terminal in Angola.

The agreements with Unicargas and Multiparques, well-known logistics and transport corporations in the nation, noticed the Group purchase an 81% stake in a three way partnership that may function the terminal, and a 90% stake in one other three way partnership that may serve the facility and the broader Angolan logistics market.

AD Ports Group has dedicated USD 251 million in direction of the modernisation of the terminal and improvement of the logistics enterprise over the subsequent three years (2024-2026), with this funding doubtlessly rising to USD 379 million over the concession time period and in line with market demand.

Serving as Angola’s dominant maritime gateway alongside the hall, the Port of Luanda performs an vital position in Angola’s home economic system by dealing with greater than 76% of the nation’s container and basic cargo volumes. It is effectively located to seize the anticipated development in the nation’s container volumes, that are projected to rise at a median annual charge of three.3% over the subsequent decade. In addition, it serves as certainly one of the fundamental transhipment hubs for Central-West Africa by enabling maritime commerce entry to land-locked international locations, together with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.

Ricardo Daniel Sandão Queirós Viegas de Abreu, Minister of Transport, Angola,stated:“The Port of Luanda is not only Angola’s fundamental maritime gateway; it’s a important hub for regional commerce and financial vitality. Through our strategic partnership with AD Ports Group, which is a part of a broader effort involving a number of first-class stakeholders, we are going to rework the port into a fashionable, multi-faceted facility that may considerably improve our logistic capacities and stimulate financial development throughout Central-West Africa. This collaboration marks a important milestone in our mission to modernise infrastructure and develop world commerce entry, promising a affluent future for Angola and its companions.”

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, stated:“The milestone agreements we signed right this moment with our Angolan companions, ship on final yr’s framework settlement signed between AD Ports Group and the Government of Angola in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Supported by the imaginative and prescient of our clever management, the multipurpose terminal shall be modernised to appeal to enterprise from main world transport traces and supply the highest ranges of service effectivity and high quality, thereby benefitting our nations, companions, stakeholders and prospects.”

Joaquim Nazaré Pimentel da Piedade, Unicargas Management Committee Coordinator,stated:“At Unicargas, we view our partnership with AD Ports Group as a transformative alternative to leverage world experience and assets, to speed up the modernisation and enlargement of the Port of Luanda and logistics infrastructure. Together, we’re dedicated to unlock new potentials, foster financial development, and set up Angola as a key participant in the world maritime commerce panorama.”

Mohamed Eidha Tannaf AlMenhali, Regional CEO – AD Ports Group, stated: “We are happy to see these landmark agreements come to fruition, as Angola is a essential associate for our Group. We look ahead to working with Unicargas and Multiparques’ native administration and on-ground groups to leverage our respective experience and capacities to guarantee a easy transition and convey new alternatives for enterprise development and improvement.”

Under the phrases of the terminal concession settlement, the three way partnership will considerably improve the current multipurpose facility to a container and Ro-Ro terminal, encompassing an enlarged concession space (178,000 sqm to 192,000 sqm); an upgraded quay wall; further ship-to-shore cranes, gantry cranes and different state-of-the-art gear; expanded draft (9.5 metres to 16 metres); and, modernised IT techniques.

Redevelopment of the terminal is anticipated to be accomplished in Q3 2026, in the end boosting its container dealing with volumes from 25,000 TEUs to 350,000 TEUs, and Ro-Ro volumes to over 40,000 automobiles. During the 3-year redevelopment, the terminal’s container volumes shall be dealt with at a close by berth, whereas extra volumes shall be moved to Multiparques’ Viana inland container depot (ICD), thereby minimising any influence to prospects.

Furthermore, the Group’s different three way partnership with Unicargas will present built-in logistics and freight forwarding providers for native, regional and worldwide shoppers. The enterprise, to be operated by Noatum Logistics, a part of AD Ports Group, will handle the motion of containers to Viana ICD and supply brief and long-haul transport inside Angola and to the neighbouring international locations, leveraging Noatum’s broad world experience, infrastructure and logistics networks mixed with the data, capacities and belongings of the native Unicargas group.

Specifically, Noatum will assume administration and operations of Unicargas’ current fleet of vans and totally different logistics websites situated throughout the nation. In addition, it is going to enhance the enterprise’ capability by investing in new equipment, reefer and flat-bed vans and upgrading its IT techniques to plug in seamlessly throughout Noatum Logistics’ digital ecosystem – thereby offering for full end-to-end provide chain visibility and enhanced operational effectivity.

In addition, AD Ports Group can be exploring alternatives to help Angola’s offshore trade and different maritime sectors, by its Maritime & Shipping Cluster, and deploy belongings resembling work lodging vessels, passenger ferries, platform provide vessels, and different maritime craft and infrastructure.

With a inhabitants of 34.5 million, rising at a charge of three.2%, and a GDP of USD 74 billion, the Republic of Angola is taken into account the sixth largest economic system in sub-Saharan Africa and a sizable home market additionally requiring significant gateway cargo volumes.