Multimodal inland logistics network expands UAE cargo links

The multimodal inland logistics network announced by AD Ports Group is designed to strengthen UAE industrial supply chains. It will use rail-linked dry ports and cargo depots, including KEZAD Group’s Industry City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD). This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

According to AD Ports Group, the network will link inland logistics assets with Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals. These two facilities will be positioned as dual gateways for UAE industry. The network is also intended to strengthen industrial cargo movement in the UAE and the wider region.

As part of the initiative, AD Ports Group signed Memoranda of Understanding with four UAE manufacturers. They are Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), EMSTEEL Group, Al Ghurair Iron & Steel, and Tenaris. The MoUs position these companies as anchor industrial cargo clients within the same rail-linked inland logistics structure connecting port gateways, ICAD and cargo depots.

How the multimodal inland logistics network is structured?

The system aims to facilitate the efficient movement of industrial inputs, finished goods and strategic cargo across the UAE. As Hellenic Shipping News reported, it will connect Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals with rail-linked inland dry ports, ICAD and cargo depots across the country. The network will link production locations, inland markets and regional trade corridors through a more integrated logistics structure.

The network is also designed to enhance supply chain performance for manufacturers. It will enable more reliable inbound flows of feedstock and raw materials. It will also give companies more options for outbound distribution of finished and semi-finished goods through several inland and gateway routes. The network is presented as a way to strengthen corridor resilience, reduce dependence on single gateways, and improve access to UAE and regional markets.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, said:

“Through establishing a consolidated, multimodal inland logistics network, anchored by the UAE’s leading industrial champions, we aim to further strengthen the UAE’s industrial logistics backbone. This network will connect Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals to a rail-linked network of inland dry ports and cargo depots, enhancing commercial use of the UAE’s national rail infrastructure. It will also provide improved access to industrial inputs, greater export flexibility, and long-term competitiveness for national supply chains, in line with the vision of our wise leadership.”

Support for UAE industrial cargo flows

By improving inland cargo links between ports, industrial zones and end markets, the consolidated network is intended to support the UAE’s industrial growth agenda. It is also intended to expand trade corridor options for strategic cargo in the UAE and the wider region. The expected benefits extend to manufacturers and industries in KEZAD and other UAE industrial sectors. The network supports more efficient access to raw materials and a more streamlined route for exporting finished goods through Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals.

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