AD Ports tightens grip on GFS

AD Ports Group has lifted its ownership of Global Feeder Shipping to 81 percent after buying an additional 30 percent stake for $300 million, deepening Abu Dhabi’s position in regional container shipping at a time of persistent disruption across key maritime corridors.

The transaction, valued at AED1.1 billion, gives the group stronger strategic and operational control over one of its most important maritime assets. It follows the acquisition of a 51 percent stake in Dubai-based GFS in February 2024, when AD Ports secured a call option to raise its holding by December 2026. The option has now been exercised at the same total enterprise value of AED3.67 billion agreed under the earlier deal.

The purchase will be financed through a combination of debt and asset monetisation transactions, indicating that AD Ports is seeking to expand control over cash-generating assets while managing capital discipline across a broad international acquisition programme. The move also reinforces its shift from a ports operator into a wider trade, logistics and shipping platform linking terminals, industrial zones, freight forwarding and maritime services.

GFS is ranked among the world’s largest container feeder shipping lines by capacity and operates across the GCC region, the Subcontinent, the Red Sea, the Far East, the Mediterranean and Africa. The company transported 2.8 million TEUs in 2025 and completed more than 700 voyages covering 89 ports in 54 countries, making it a critical part of AD Ports Group’s ability to connect smaller ports with major transhipment hubs.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, managing director and group chief executive of AD Ports Group, said the additional stake reaffirmed the company’s commitment to one of the strongest assets in its integrated portfolio. He said GFS had expanded the group’s reach into new markets and connected its ports to more economies across the Red Sea and the Gulf, where “reliable trade connectivity matters most”.

The timing is significant for Gulf shipping. Container carriers have faced rerouting, insurance pressures and schedule volatility because of security risks around the Red Sea and wider geopolitical uncertainty affecting trade lanes between Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Feeder operators have become more important as mainline carriers adjust schedules and ports seek reliable connections to regional markets.

For AD Ports, the GFS deal strengthens a container feeder business that was launched in 2020 and has since become a core growth engine. Alongside SAFEEN Feeders and Transmar, GFS supports the movement of cargo in and out of the UAE and gives the group more flexibility in serving trade flows across short-sea and regional routes.

GFS has generated cumulative EBITDA of more than AED1.8 billion since AD Ports acquired its initial 51 percent stake. The group’s overall container feeder shipping revenue rose 17 percent year-on-year in 2025, while the wider Maritime and Shipping Cluster recorded a 33 percent rise in revenue to AED10.7 billion. Cluster EBITDA grew 25 percent to AED2.5 billion, accounting for 45 percent of group EBITDA.

The stronger ownership position is expected to allow deeper integration of GFS into AD Ports’ terminals, economic cities, free zones, logistics networks and digital platforms. This integration is central to the group’s strategy of offering end-to-end trade solutions rather than relying only on port handling charges. It also gives the company wider customer access at a time when cargo owners are seeking more resilient supply chains.

Amir Maghami, chief executive of Global Feeder Shipping, said the transaction marked a closer integration with AD Ports Group and strengthened the partnership between the two businesses. He said the shipping industry continued to adapt to volatile conditions, while AD Ports’ support had helped GFS expand services and grow its fleet.

The deal fits into a broader expansion drive. AD Ports reported record 2025 revenue of AED20.8 billion, up 20 percent, and net profit of AED2.1 billion, up 17 percent. Its growth has been supported by acquisitions including Noatum, the global logistics platform, and a wider push into markets beyond the Gulf.

Earlier this month, the group announced the acquisition of Corredor Logística e Infraestrutura, Brazil’s leading independent agri-bulk port terminal operator, for more than AED3 billion, marking a major entry into South America. It has also started trial operations at Noatum Ports – Safaga Terminal in Egypt, underlining its ambition to build a network spanning ports, shipping, logistics and industrial infrastructure.