INTERVIEW: Mohamed Eidha Al Menhali, Regional CEO, AD Ports Group, Building World-Class Trade and Logistics Infrastructure that the Continent needs to assume a Leadership role in Global Trade.
AD Ports is on a transformative international expansion drive leveraging innovation and its robust portfolio to strengthen its position as a global leader in logistics. Africa is a key frontier for this growth path and AD Ports is investing more than a billion dollars in the continent’s trade, logistics, and infrastructure. Gain more insights from our exclusive interview below with Mr. Al Menhali.
At AD Ports Group, Al Menhali is responsible for meeting and exceeding strategic objectives designed to see the Group developing into one of the world’s premier trade and logistics enablers.
He leads the development of the Group’s international projects to empower emerging markets, especially in Africa.
Mohamed Al Menhali has 20 years’ experience spanning key areas including ports management, strategic leadership and planning, and supply chain management.
“AD Ports Group is currently investing more than USD 1 billion in Africa’s trade, logistics, and infrastructure. We have a number of projects throughout Africa including a 20-year concession to modernise Angola’s largest port – Noatum Terminal Luanda, and a 30-year extendable concession to develop manage and operate the New East Mole multipurpose terminal in Pointe Noire, Congo-Brazzaville, through a JV with CMA Terminals, part of CMA CGM Group. In Angola, our Group also operates Noatum Unicargas Logistics, a JV with Unicargas, which provides integrated logistics and freight forwarding services for local, regional and international clients.
Our entry into Tanzania was marked by the formation of a JV with Adani Ports and East Harbour Terminals Limited and subsequent 95% acquisition of Tanzania International Container Terminal Services (TICTS), which operates at Dar es Salaam port. In Egypt, we have a large presence including long term concessions to develop and operate cruise and Ro-Ro terminals, a multipurpose port in the Red Sea and an integrated logistics park in Alexandria. We also have investments in Algeria, Tunisia, Kenya, Morocco, Cameroon and Chad. While we are busy at work in Africa, we are eager to expand on our partnerships and investments in the Continent, and I am looking forward to exploring new opportunities with key stakeholders at the 15th Africa PPP Summit in Windhoek. AD Ports Group is a major enabler of Africa’s economic development, and we stand ready to increase our work with African public- and private-sector partners to provide the world-class trade and logistics infrastructure that the Continent needs to assume a leadership role in global trade”.
“I look forward to explaining how AD Ports Group, one of the world’s fastest growing trade and logistics enablers, can help our African partners tap directly into the benefits of global trade, to drive national economic growth and create local jobs. In addition to providing insight into how AD Ports Group’s sustainably driven approach results in value-adding maritime and logistics infrastructure which drives long-term, low-impact GDP growth while supporting national net-zero goals. I look forward to explaining the benefits of AD Ports Group’s mutually beneficial partnership model, which opens new economic growth horizons through the capabilities of our global Noatum Logistics business, Noatum Ports network of 34 ports and terminals, 265-vessel Noatum Maritime fleet, and the Middle East’s largest integrated economic and free zone network, in addition to our capabilities in digitalising trade through cross-border trade solutions and Single Window solutions, offering shipping lines, agents, operators and other government agencies a single point-of-access in real-time to enhance trade and efficiency”.
