Abu Dhabi Ports Group (AD Ports Group), a leading facilitator of trade and logistics, has signed multiple strategic partnership agreements with the Jordan-based Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), with an aim to develop tourism, logistics, transport and digital infrastructure in Aqaba.
Under the agreement, AD Ports Group will work on the establishment of a state-of-the-art cruise terminal at Marsa Zayed in Aqaba. It will be the first facility to be developed by AD Ports Group in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and its first cruise facility outside of the UAE.
The new terminal will act as a gateway in the Port of Aqaba that will receive cruise ships passengers visiting the Red Sea, in addition to serving as a major attraction for the residents of Aqaba with a wide range of tourism, commercial, and entertainment services.
Further, the agreement will also let AD Ports Group to manage the implementation of an advanced Ports Community System (PCS), through its digital arm, Maqta Gateway. The system will oversee the communication between the Port of Aqaba and terminal operators, as well as the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Aqaba Development Corporation, Jordan Maritime Commission and other stakeholders within the Port’s ecosystem.
The system is expected to complete around two million digital transactions per year, generate considerable cost and time savings, reduce carbon emissions and streamline services, AD Ports Group said.
By strengthening its long-standing and extensive expertise as a global facilitator of trade and logistics, AD Ports Group will work closely with ADC to deploy the digital system to expand the technical capacity and capabilities of Aqaba ports.
Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamsi Group CEO – AD Ports Group
“The creation and operation of a new cruise terminal at Marsa Zayed will be a milestone for Jordan’s fast-growing cruise and tourism sector and is the first of many enhancement projects that we have planned. In addition, as part of our continued commitment to support the growth of Jordan’s maritime industry, AD Ports Group, through its digital arm, Maqta Gateway, is leveraging its digital expertise to implement a robust Port Community System at the Aqaba ports ecosystem that will accelerate the exchange of goods and elevate commerce to new heights.”
Commenting on the agreement, Mr. Hussein Alsafadi, CEO of ADC, stated that “We are pleased to be joining forces with AD Ports Group with this agreement which falls in line with the wider cooperation between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the UAE. Through their ambitious development of ports in Abu Dhabi and around the world, they have demonstrated their ambition and ability to evolve and drive growth in the maritime sector.”
Developing the cruise terminal in Aqaba will significantly support the growth of the tourism sector in Jordan, which will expand the scope of onsite facilities and services. It will also facilitate the movement of cruise ship passengers arriving from countries across the Mediterranean Sea and Europe. This cooperation is also expected to create new jobs, and strengthen Aqaba’s status as a major regional hub.
