AD Ports Group expands presence in Kazakhstan

Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports Group is expanding its business in Central Asia, signing with KazMunayGas (KMG), the national oil company of Kazakhstan, to build four shallow-draft containerships designed for use on the Caspian Sea, each with a capacity of 780 teu, and contemplating investing with KMG in up to four aframax tankers.

Additionally, preliminary heads of terms have been signed with SEMURG Invest to establish a joint venture to design, develop, finance, and operate the Sarzha Multipurpose Terminal (SMT) at Kuryk Seaport on the Caspian Sea. The SMT terminal will be designed to handle general cargo, containers, and dry bulk cargoes.

AD Ports sees Kazakhstan as a major hub in the group’s strategy to redevelop what it terms as the “East-West Silk Road Middle Corridor’’ into a modern, low-impact direct land corridor running from China, through Central Asia and Pakistan, into Europe.

“The Middle Corridor is the shortest, least environmentally impactful way to transport goods from China to Europe, and our investments reflect Kazakhstan’s growing role as an emerging export leader,” said Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, the CEO of AD Ports.