AD Ports Group today announced the signing of a 30-year concession agreement with Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) to run and operate the Aqaba Multipurpose Port, the sole and exclusive general cargo and multipurpose seaport in Jordan, enhancing investments of the Group in the logistics infrastructure of the coastal city.
The agreement will form a Joint Venture to operate and run the port, where AD Ports Group will be the 70 percent owner, and the remaining 30 percent will be owned by Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC).
According to the agreement, AD Ports Group will invest a total of AED141 million (US$38.4 million) in the Joint Venture, in addition to gaining extensive port development and operational expertise through the transaction. The Group is looking forward to taking over operations of the port formally in August this year.
The signing was done at the headquarters of 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; Shadi Majali, Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority; and Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group.
The contract was signed between Hussein Safadi, the CEO of Aqaba Development Corporation, and Ahmed Al Mutawa, the Regional Chief Executive Officer of AD Ports Group.
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, said, “Today’s signing represents a continuation of the strong and enduring economic cooperation between the two countries, including the development initiatives implemented by AD Ports Group in Aqaba City. This aligns with the directives of our wise leadership to strengthen cooperation with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and to support the Kingdom’s vision of transforming the Port of Aqaba into a leading commercial gateway in the Red Sea region.”
He added, “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.”
Shadi Majali, Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), commented in response, “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.”
He stated, “This project will enhance Aqaba’s attractiveness as a regional logistics, industrial, and tourism hub, while strengthening connectivity with regional and international markets. It also reflects the effectiveness of close coordination between national institutions, the private sector, and international partners in delivering transformative projects that generate employment, stimulate investment, and contribute to long-term economic resilience.”
Shadi Majali reported, “ASEZA remains fully committed to facilitating this project through streamlined procedures, investor-friendly policies, and continuous support, ensuring that Aqaba continues to serve as a strategic gateway for Jordan and the wider region.”
Hussein Safadi, CEO of Aqaba Development Corporation, reported, “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.
He said, “We are confident that this partnership will play a pivotal role in driving sustainable economic growth for Aqaba and the Kingdom as a whole, and we are pleased to welcome this important milestone with AD Ports Group as we move forward together in delivering a world-class logistics and trade hub.”
The Aqaba Port lies at the intersection of the three continents and is the main entry point to Jordan when it comes to foreign trade, where approximately 80 percent of exports and 65 percent of the imports of this country are processed. Aqaba is also a major transit location of trade with Jordan’s neighbors, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Aqaba Multipurpose Port is a port that manages a wide variety of cargo types, such as general cargo, grains, livestock, Ro-Ro, and project cargo. The port has a handling capacity of 11 million tonnes annually, backed by nine berths, a quay length of two kilometers, and a draft of 13.5 meters.
As of 2025, the terminal received more than 5.3 million tonnes of cargo and close to 85,000 car equivalent units (CEUs) of Ro-Ro imports.
