AD Ports Group achieves record quarterly profits despite Middle East conflict

Abu Dhabi-based AD Ports Group has reported strong  net profit growth to AED 653 million in Q1 2026, up 41% year-on-year (YoY) and its strongest ever quarterly performance. The Group says the result demonstrates the resilience of its diversified and integrated trade ecosystem amidst the challenging and complex geopolitical and macroeconomic backdrop.



Continuity of business measures in the Middle East since hostilities began end-February have included 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 vessels 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. 



Leveraging its award-winning digital trade infrastructure, the Group also launched new freight management platforms that delivered visibility and resilience, enabling the efficient management of trade flows. By unifying and processing data across the Group’s global operations, these platforms have enabled the Group to act on real-time trade lane intelligence to strengthen supply chain integrity, whilst repurposing empty import containers for export along alternative high-volume corridors, which enhanced resilience and reduced time and cost for customers.



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% 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 Ports Cluster, UAE operations remained resilient in the face of challenging regional events, with quarterly container throughput declining 5% YoY and general cargo volumes dropping 23% YoY, which were largely offset by strong growth internationally of 17% YoY and 21% YoY, respectively. In the UAE, container capacity utilisation stood at 54% (57% at Khalifa Port), whilst internationally it reached 65%, up from 58% in Q1 2025.

In Logistics, the global freight environment remains challenging, with rising operational costs, and in the UAE quarterly polymer volumes declined 6% YoY as a result of the regional situation.

Capt. 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% and 41%, 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. 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.”