AD Ports Group has announced the appointment of Hassan Allam Construction, the flagship subsidiary of Hassan Allam Holding and a leading contractor in Egypt and the MENA region, to construct the infrastructure for the Noatum Ports – Safaga Terminal.
This terminal, located on Egypt’s Red Sea coast, will be the first internationally-operated port terminal in Upper Egypt.
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and CEO of AD Ports Group, commented: “We are delighted to sign this construction agreement today with Hassan Allam Construction to build Noatum Ports – Safaga Terminal, which will create a new source of economic growth for the people in the region, in line with the wise vision of our leadership in the UAE.”
The terminal will span approximately 810,000 m² and feature a container capacity of 450,000 TEUs, a dry bulk and general cargo capacity of 5 million tonnes, a liquid bulk capacity of 1 million tonnes, and Ro-Ro facilities with a capacity of 50,000 CEUs.
The development will include various support facilities, such as administrative offices, workshops, warehouses, and authority buildings, as well as comprehensive infrastructure work including roads, utilities, and security systems.
Hassan Allam, CEO of Hassan Allam Holding, stated: “We welcome this opportunity to work with AD Ports Group, one of the fastest growing trade, transport and logistics groups in the Middle East, to deliver Noatum Ports – Safaga Terminal, which will be a key addition to Egypt’s maritime and ports infrastructure on the Red Sea. With our track record of more than 90 years, Hassan Allam Holding looks forward to delivering this large-scale, strategically important project for Egypt.”
Key features of the project include a 48,000 m² concrete apron, an 80,354 m² container terminal with necessary supporting infrastructure, and about 66,360 m² dedicated to general cargo and break-bulk operations. This terminal forms part of AD Ports Group’s significant investments in Egypt, amounting to approximately US$350 million over the past three years.
These investments encompass the acquisition of maritime companies such as Transmar, TCI and Safina, the planned construction of a Ro-Ro terminal in Ain Sokhna, and long-term concessions to develop and operate cruise terminals in Safaga, Hurghada, Ain Sokhna, and Sharm El-Sheikh.
The UAE remains Egypt’s second-largest trading partner and its leading foreign investor, as reported by the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS), with investments totalling US$9.6 billion in 2023. Trade volume between the two nations reached US$6.9 billion in the same year, according to the UAE Ministry of Economy. Furthermore, over 1,600 Emirati companies are operating in Egypt.
Meanwhile, in February 2024, UAE and Egypt signed a landmark agreement for US$35 billion in UAE investments to develop the Ras El-Hekma coastal region, located 350 kilometres northwest of Cairo.
