AD Ports Group awards ZPMC AED420-million cranes contracts for terminal projects in Africa

AD Ports Group has awarded Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. Ltd (ZPMC) contracts worth over AED420 million to supply six ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and 17 hybrid rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes for deployment at its terminal projects in New East Mole Terminal, Pointe Noire, Republic of the Congo, and Noatum Ports, Luanda Terminal, Angola.

This initiative is part of AD Ports Group’s 30-year concession agreement to develop and operate a multipurpose terminal in Pointe Noire Port, Republic of the Congo, as well as a 20-year concession agreement to modernise and operate the Luanda Terminal in Angola.

These agreements align with AD Ports Group’s strategy to promote advanced development in emerging markets, fostering mutual and sustainable economic growth.

Under the awarded contracts, the Pointe Noire and Luanda terminals will each receive three Super Post-Panamax STS cranes, capable of reaching 21 container rows, a distance of 60 metres. Additionally, Pointe Noire will receive nine hybrid RTGs, while Luanda Terminal will receive eight hybrid RTGs. These hybrid RTGs can save up to 60 percent of diesel compared to traditional diesel RTGs, equivalent to one million litres per year and approximately 5,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, commented, "We are pleased to advance our concession agreements in Angola and Congo. These cranes play a crucial role in modern port operations. In line with the vision of our wise leadership to enhance trade and promote investment relations with key global partners, we are committed to investing in our terminals’ infrastructure and adopting advanced, innovative technology solutions to add value to our customers and partners and benefit the economies we operate in."

Ruikai You, Party Secretary and Chairman of ZMPC, said, "As the world market leader in STS cranes and ports equipment, ZMPC’s global footprint is unparalleled, as is the strength of our specialist upgrades teams. We are pleased to expand this multi-year partnership with our key client AD Ports Group to supply state-of-the-art Super Post-Panamax STS cranes for its expansion into Africa."

In June 2023, AD Ports Group signed a 30-year concession agreement with the Government of the Republic of the Congo for the management and operation of the multipurpose New East Mole Terminal in Pointe Noire. With an estimated investment of US$500 million over the concession's duration, the terminal will handle containers, general cargo, breakbulk, and various other types of cargo.

In April 2024, AD Ports Group signed a 20-year concession agreement (extendable for another 10 years) with the Luanda Port Authority for the operation and upgrade of the existing Luanda multipurpose port terminal in Angola. AD Ports Group has committed an estimated $250 million towards modernising the terminal and developing the logistics business over the next three years, with potential investment increasing to $379 million over the concession term, in line with market demand.

These agreements highlight AD Ports Group’s ambitious international expansion plans, aimed at enhancing the efficiency of global supply chains, creating faster trade routes, and providing diverse logistics solutions for key strategic trading partners.