Published: 2026-08-14
AD Ports Group, the Abu Dhabi ports, logistics and economic zones operator, reported on 14 August 2026 a record second quarter: net profit jumped 88% year on year to AED 836 million, while revenue rose 47% to a record AED 7.08 billion. EBITDA grew 49% to AED 1.74 billion, lifting the margin to 24.5%. The group delivered these numbers while rerouting cargo around the disrupted Strait of Hormuz, and it is simultaneously buying its way into South America and Europe: a Brazilian terminal operator at an enterprise value of AED 3.1 billion (about USD 844 million) and Germany's MBS Logistics at EUR 70 million.
A record quarter in numbers
The Q2 2026 results are the strongest quarterly figures in the group's history, and the second record quarter in a row after Q1's AED 653 million net profit. Revenue growth of 47% year on year was driven by all three operating engines at once: the Maritime and Shipping cluster, the Economic Cities and Free Zones cluster, and the Logistics cluster.
| Indicator | Q2 2026 | Change YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | AED 7.08 billion | +47% |
| Net profit | AED 836 million | +88% |
| EBITDA | AED 1.74 billion | +49% |
| EBITDA margin | 24.5% | vs 24.2% a year earlier |
The half-year picture is equally strong. For H1 2026 the group reported revenue of AED 12.83 billion (+36%), EBITDA of AED 3.25 billion (+41%) and net profit of AED 1.49 billion (+64%). Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, said the group delivered a record financial performance "despite operating through perhaps the most significant challenge in its 20-year history".
The Hormuz test: how the UAE kept cargo moving
That challenge is the disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint through which most Gulf seaborne trade normally passes. Since the disruption began in 2026, AD Ports Group has been building and scaling alternative multimodal trade routes across the UAE under the UAE National Programme to Strengthen Supply Chain Resilience.
The scale of the response is visible in the fleet numbers. The group deployed a 27-vessel container fleet and a 5-vessel bulk fleet, added around 400 trucks to its land transport capacity, and shifted flows through Fujairah Terminals and Khor Fakkan Port on the UAE East Coast, which sit outside the Strait of Hormuz and face the open Indian Ocean. These routes connect India, Pakistan and Oman with the Red Sea and the upper Arabian Gulf, allowing cargo to bypass the chokepoint and keep supply chains for the UAE and the wider GCC running.
The market effect of this rerouting shows up directly in the results: the Maritime and Shipping cluster generated AED 3.82 billion of revenue in Q2, up 62% year on year, and accounted for 53% of group revenue, with cluster EBITDA up 79% to AED 1.03 billion. East Coast capacity has become one of the most valuable logistics assets in the region, a trend we covered when DP World took a 50-year concession over Fujairah's ports.
Global expansion: Brazil, Germany and a bigger feeder fleet
Alongside the operational story, AD Ports Group is executing an aggressive international buildout:
- Brazil, CLI (Corredor Logistica e Infraestrutura). The group agreed to acquire the agri-bulk terminal operator at an enterprise value of AED 3.1 billion (about USD 844 million), its largest acquisition to date and its entry ticket into South America. Closing is expected by the end of Q3 2026.
- Germany, MBS Logistics. A binding agreement signed in May 2026 values the Cologne-based freight forwarder at EUR 70 million (about AED 300 million). MBS generated EUR 205 million of revenue in 2025 and runs networks across Germany and Central Europe as well as China, Vietnam and the United States. The business will be integrated into the group's logistics arm, Noatum Logistics, with closing expected in the second half of 2026 subject to EU regulatory approvals.
- Global Feeder Shipping. The group paid AED 1.1 billion for an additional 30% stake, taking its ownership to 81% and consolidating control over a key feeder network in the region.
Key facts at a glance
- Q2 2026 net profit: AED 836 million, up 88% year on year, a group record.
- Q2 2026 revenue: AED 7.08 billion, up 47%; EBITDA AED 1.74 billion, up 49%, margin 24.5%.
- H1 2026: revenue AED 12.83 billion (+36%), EBITDA AED 3.25 billion (+41%), net profit AED 1.49 billion (+64%).
- Maritime and Shipping cluster: AED 3.82 billion revenue (+62%), 53% of group revenue.
- Hormuz response: 27 container vessels, 5 bulk vessels, about 400 extra trucks, rerouting via Fujairah and Khor Fakkan.
- Acquisitions: CLI in Brazil at AED 3.1 billion enterprise value, MBS Logistics in Germany at EUR 70 million, plus 30% more of Global Feeder Shipping for AED 1.1 billion.
What it means for businesses working with the UAE
For companies that trade through or operate in the UAE, this report carries three practical messages. First, the UAE's logistics system has passed a live stress test: even with the region's main maritime chokepoint disrupted, cargo kept moving through alternative corridors, which is exactly the resilience international traders look for when choosing a hub. Second, AD Ports Group also runs KEZAD, the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi platform, and record activity in the Economic Cities and Free Zones cluster means growing demand for industrial land, warehousing and business licences in Abu Dhabi. Third, the group's push into Brazil and Germany extends UAE-anchored supply chains deeper into South America and Europe, opening new trade lanes for companies based in the Emirates.
For founders and investors, the signal is straightforward: trade infrastructure in the UAE keeps expanding through a regional crisis, and the government treats supply chain resilience as a national programme rather than a corporate initiative. That institutional backing is a core part of why businesses continue to register and scale in the Emirates.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital helps international founders and trading companies establish themselves in the UAE ecosystem that AD Ports Group's results describe. We handle company setup in UAE free zones and on the mainland, including logistics, trading and industrial licences in zones connected to the country's ports. We also assist with corporate bank account opening in UAE banks, employee visas and ongoing corporate compliance, so a trading business can start moving cargo through the UAE's infrastructure instead of navigating paperwork.
Outlook
AD Ports Group enters the second half of 2026 with record momentum, two major acquisitions awaiting closure and East Coast trade corridors that have proven their worth under pressure. If the CLI and MBS Logistics deals close on schedule by early 2027, the group will operate on four continents, with Abu Dhabi as the hub of a genuinely global logistics network. For the UAE economy, the quarter is further evidence that trade and logistics, not only oil, are driving the country's growth story in 2026.
FAQ
How profitable was AD Ports Group in Q2 2026?
AD Ports Group posted a record net profit of AED 836 million in Q2 2026, up 88% year on year, on record revenue of AED 7.08 billion, up 47%. EBITDA rose 49% to AED 1.74 billion, with the EBITDA margin improving to 24.5% from 24.2% a year earlier.
How did AD Ports Group keep cargo moving despite the Strait of Hormuz disruption?
The group built alternative multimodal routes under the UAE National Programme to Strengthen Supply Chain Resilience: a 27-vessel container fleet, a 5-vessel bulk fleet and about 400 additional trucks now move cargo via Fujairah Terminals and Khor Fakkan Port on the UAE East Coast, connecting India, Pakistan and Oman with the Red Sea and the upper Arabian Gulf outside the strait.
What companies is AD Ports Group acquiring in 2026?
Two headline deals are in progress: Brazilian agri-bulk terminal operator CLI (Corredor Logistica e Infraestrutura) at an enterprise value of AED 3.1 billion, expected to close by the end of Q3 2026, and German freight forwarder MBS Logistics at EUR 70 million, expected to close in the second half of 2026. The group also raised its stake in Global Feeder Shipping to 81% for AED 1.1 billion.
What do these results mean for businesses in the UAE?
They confirm that the UAE's trade infrastructure works even under regional disruption and that capacity keeps growing. For companies, that means reliable shipping routes, expanding free zone and warehousing capacity through KEZAD in Abu Dhabi, and new UAE-anchored trade lanes into South America and Europe as the group's acquisitions close.
