Abdullah Al Hameli

AD Ports Group is working on developing industry-specific ecosystems within its free parks to enable businesses to flourish and benefit from the advantages of the infrastructure.

What role can AD Ports Group’s free zones play in the UAE’s objectives to become carbon neutral by 2050?

AD Ports Group has a long track record of investing in sustainability and the long-term future of the energy sector, which is reflected across all clusters. As an industrial ecosystem provider, our focus is on enabling early adoption of alternate sustainable solutions not just for ourselves but for industry at large. One major instance of that is how we are developing the hydrogen-based circular economy in KIZAD. The use of hydrogen gas is a step toward tackling climate change and can help the UAE achieve its commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050. On an international level, we are collaborating with other ports on several topics including tackling the logistical challenges associated with the transport of hydrogen products, adoption of sustainable innovations and best practices within the port environment, as well as accelerating the development of smart port technologies. Recycling and upcycling is another focus area at KIZAD Group, part of AD Ports Group’s Economic Cities & Free Zones. We are attracting investments from businesses driving the sustainable manufacturing movement. KIZAD Group also adheres to sustainable development practices under the direction of AD Ports Group’s dedicated Environmental and Sustainability Department, which is tasked with designing and implementing assets and infrastructure in accordance with Estidama innovative green standards. This sees the integration of solar, waste recycling, and alternate fuel initiatives across our infrastructure development.

AD Ports Group has partnered with Metal Park Investment to establish an integrated metal hub at KIZAD. What is the scope of this partnership?

Our strategy is to have custom-built infrastructure for specific industries in partnership with industry leaders. As a push to develop the metals sector, AD Ports Group signed an agreement with Metal Park Investment ME LTD to establish an integrated metal hub in KIZAD that will cater to all industry verticals and offer flexibilities of scale to metal vendors, processors, and fabricators in the UAE. Covering a total land area of 450,000sqm, the upcoming Metal Park in KIZAD will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities supporting storage and handling, processing, and fabrication activities, whilst offering access to research and development amenities, rental office space, and associated financial services. Beyond industry-related infrastructure, Metal Park offers customers a unique solution featuring production planning capabilities, easy entry and exit policies, and access to finance and human resources services to keep operations at optimal levels. We are developing ecosystems that enable strategic industries to flourish. In addition to Metal Park, we are also working with Ghassan Aboud Group to develop a regional auto hub in KIZAD to enable international trade of new and used passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, spare parts, heavy equipment, and machinery to different destinations. We have also launched the Regional Food Hub – Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with Rungis to bring together wholesale buyers, sellers, logistics players, consolidators, and distributors from across the world to KIZAD.

In what ways is AD Ports Group enabling private enterprises in the logistics and shipping sectors to contribute to the development of the industry and to attract investment?

Logistics and shipping support is an essential cornerstone to our offering at KIZAD Group, supporting manufacturers to move goods seamlessly across the region and driving the national industrial sector. Therefore, as we diversify key sectors in our industrial ecosystem, we see growth in interest from logistics and shipping players. Whether you lease land, move into our warehouse or office solutions, we provide attractive offerings to help investors reduce initial operating costs and get better returns on investments in the long run. We offer excellent access to markets through a world-class transportation infrastructure with multi modal connectivity by road, ports, air, and future rail network. KIZAD Group has attracted more than 200 national and international investors. It has also attained ISO 9001:2015 quality certification, the latest version of the world’s most popular quality management system standard.