ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM – 13th May, 2026) AD Ports Group’s total net profit in Q1 2026 soared 41 percent YoY to AED653 million during the first quarter of 2026, as a result of operating leverage, lower finance costs, and stronger contribution from joint ventures (JVs) and associates
The group’s revenue surged 25 percent YoY to AED5.75 billion in Q1 2026, through pure organic growth, driven by the strong operational and financial performance of the Maritime & Shipping and Economic Cities & Free Zones (EC&FZ) Clusters.
EBITDA growth momentum was even stronger during the quarter, with an increase of 33 percent YoY to AED1.52 billion, supported by improving profitability, as the EBITDA margin climbed to 26.4 percent in Q1 2026 compared to 24.7 percent during the same period a year earlier.
The group’s financial results demonstrated the resilience of its diversified and integrated trade ecosystem amidst the challenging and complex geopolitical and macroeconomic backdrop.
From a service offering and geographic perspective, AD Ports Group’s diversified operations and vertically integrated business model based on long-term partnerships and contracts, focused strategy, and operational flexibility have proven once again to be effective in turning risks into differentiated opportunities.
Throughout the obvious challenges posed by the geopolitical situation in the Arabian Gulf, the group has been able to maintain uninterrupted services, operating normally with precautionary business continuity protocols activated.
Continuity measures include the rerouting of cargo operations and feeder services to Fujairah Terminals and Khorfakkan Port, and deployment of new land and air bridges, complemented by additional warehousing and storage facilities.
AD Ports Group launched new regional feeder shipping services to maintain supply chain integrity, redeploying and scaling up its container and bulk cargo vessel fleet, with plans to further increase fleet capacity. The new services connect with ports in India, Pakistan and Oman, as well as Red Sea ports, and ports along the Upper Arabian Gulf region.
The group also established a land bridge to transport cargo from Fujairah and Khorfakkan through bonded customs corridors across the UAE to Khalifa Port, Jebel Ali Port, and Sharjah, using 800 trucks and four new daily rail services by Etihad Rail.
These efforts were supported by the group’s expanded warehousing and storage capacity for essential goods, currently exceeding 76,000 m2, with plans to more than double to 188,000 m2.
In Maritime & Shipping, the strong performance was a combination of volume and price effects, notably in container feeders, Ro-Ro, and tankers, as well as increased drydocking activities.
Container feeder shipping volumes rose 20 percent YoY to 871K TEUs in Q1 2026, driven by increased services and capacity, whilst the bulk, multipurpose, and Ro-Ro vessel fleet reached 63, up from 41 in the same period a year earlier.
In the Economic Cities & Free Zones Cluster, growth momentum continued with 843,000 m2 (net) new industrial land leases in KEZAD Abu Dhabi, generating strong demand for warehouses, staff accommodation, and utilities provision.
KEZAD also completed the sale of a group of warehouses to MAIR Group for AED295 million and sold a 1.0 km2 mixed-use land plot to Danube Properties for AED840 million, as part of the group’s strategy to actively manage its asset portfolio across all business clusters and monetise real estate and non-core assets, when opportune.
In the Ports Cluster, UAE operations remained resilient in the face of challenging regional events, with quarterly container throughput declining 5 percent YoY and general cargo volumes dropping 23 percent YoY, which were largely offset by strong growth internationally of 17 percent YoY and 21 percent YoY, respectively.
In the UAE, container capacity utilisation stood at 54 percent (57 percent at Khalifa Port), whilst internationally it reached 65 percent, up from 58 percent in Q1 2025.
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO – AD Ports Group, said, “Faced with rapidly evolving regional developments with global macroeconomic and supply chain implications, AD Ports Group responded decisively in Q1 2026, demonstrating the agility, resilience, and forward-thinking that have underpinned our strong growth over the past two decades.
“Our Q1 performance was robust, with Group Revenue and Net Profit delivering strong double-digit year-on-year growth of 25 percent and 41 percent, respectively. We acted swiftly to mitigate disruption, elevating the ports in Fujairah and Khorfakkan as alternative gateways for the country and the region, launching contingency feeder shipping services, expanding warehousing capacity, and activating integrated land, rail, and air bridges that will sustain our growth into Q2 and beyond.”
He added, “Under the guidance of our wise leadership in the UAE, AD Ports Group will continue to anticipate and adapt to global developments, further strengthening the resilience of our UAE-based global supply chain network, while delivering sustained value creation and growth for our shareholders.”
