UAE’s AD Ports Group, Transmar launch new Pakistan service

AD Ports Group and Transmar International Shipping Company (Transmar) have launched a new container shipping service that will link Karachi, Pakistan’s busiest port, with the major maritime economies of the Middle East and East Africa.

The new route will provide weekly connections for cargo between Karachi Port and Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi, in addition to Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, Dammam and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Aqaba in Jordan, Sokhna and Adabiya in Egypt, plus Port Sudan and Djibouti.

Karachi Port is a key economic hub that deals with approximately 60 percent of Pakistan’s cargo, handling on average 26 million tons of cargo per annum. The deep natural port offers an 11-kilometre approach channel, which enables safe navigation for vessels up to 75,000 tonnes deadweight.

The launch of the new Pakistan route follows AD Ports Group’s acquisition of a 70 percent shareholding in Egypt-based Transmar and Transcargo International (TCI) in September.

The new service uses containers provided by Transmar on slots, largely provided by other AD Ports Group companies SAFEEN Feeders and Global Feeder Shipping (GFS), which it acquired earlier this month.

Read: Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports Group completes first international acquisition

Also read: AD Ports Group acquires 80% stake in Global Feeder Shipping

Captain Ammar Mubarak Al Shaiba, acting CEO – Maritime Cluster and Safeen Group, AD Ports Group, said: “AD Ports Group is working to continuously improve the level of excellence, efficiency and connectivity available to our customers, leveraging the synergies of our recent acquisitions and the high level of support provided by our integrated team.

“The new weekly service will connect Pakistan’s busiest port with key maritime hubs across the Gulf, Red Sea, and East Africa, enabling the region to foster and increase integrated and collaborative trading partnerships.”

Pakistan and the UAE enjoy a dynamic economic relationship, with bilateral trade in 2021-22 between the two countries valued at approximately $10bn. In 2020, the top exports from Pakistan to the UAE were $122m in gold and $109m in beef. Top exports in 2020 from the UAE to Pakistan were $2.21bn in refined petroleum and $1.04bn in crude petroleum.

In recent news, AD Ports Group has acquired Noatum, Spain’s integrated logistics platform. AD Ports Group intends to create an international logistics brand, merging its existing logistics business with Noatum to create a significant presence in the region and bolster services across the company’s global footprint.

Read: Abu Dhabi Ports Group acquires Spain’s Noatum in Dhs2.5bn deal