28 September 2026
Jingdong Property, the infrastructure investment and asset management arm of Chinese e-commerce group JD.com, will build a logistics complex of about 150,000 square metres at KEZAD Al Ma’mourah in Abu Dhabi. The agreement with KEZAD Group was announced on Monday, 28 September 2026. The warehousing facility is expected to be delivered in 2028 and, once operational, to create about 1,000 direct jobs in logistics, distribution and administration. It will include smart automated warehousing systems and digital operations technologies and will serve local and international companies. The value of the investment was not disclosed.
Key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Jingdong Property (JD Property), the infrastructure investment and asset management arm of JD.com, Inc. |
| Partner | KEZAD Group (Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi), a subsidiary of AD Ports Group |
| Location | KEZAD Area A, KEZAD Al Ma’mourah, Abu Dhabi |
| Size | About 150,000 square metres of warehousing facilities |
| Delivery | Expected in 2028 |
| Jobs | About 1,000 direct jobs in logistics, distribution and administration, plus indirect jobs in related sectors |
| Technology | Smart automated warehousing systems and digital operations technologies |
| Investment | Not disclosed |
What Jingdong Property is building at KEZAD
According to the KEZAD Group statement, the project will provide premium warehousing and integrated logistics infrastructure for local and international enterprises, designed to make supply chains more efficient and to move goods across regional and global markets. Jingdong Property will bring its experience in high-quality warehousing, intelligent operations and green building. The complex will use smart automated warehousing systems and digital operations technologies, and the developer will offer customers flexible, customised development services, that is, facilities developed to a customer’s own requirements.
Once operational, the facility is expected to create about 1,000 direct jobs across logistics, distribution and administration functions. KEZAD also expects indirect employment in upstream and downstream sectors, including manufacturing, retail, transportation and support services. The construction phase will add local jobs and economic activity of its own.
“Our agreement with JINGDONG Property will enhance KEZAD’s logistics capabilities, further cementing its position as a gateway for regional and global trade,” said Mohamed Al Khadar Al Ahmed, CEO of KEZAD Group. Feng Guo, CEO of JD.com Middle East, called the facility “a critical step in JINGDONG Property’s UAE expansion strategy” and said it would deliver “seamless multimodal logistics solutions tailored to the demands of fast-moving supply chains”.
Who is Jingdong Property
Jingdong Property, also known as JD Property, invests in, develops and manages logistics parks, business parks and data centres. It manages more than 300 infrastructure assets worldwide with over 28 million square metres of gross floor area and more than USD 16 billion in assets under management. Its clients work in e-commerce, third-party logistics, manufacturing, retail and other emerging industries. The parent company, JD.com, is one of the largest e-commerce companies in China.
Why KEZAD Al Ma’mourah
KEZAD Group is located next to Khalifa Port and is a subsidiary of AD Ports Group. It operates 12 economic zones in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Al Dhafra Region, as well as an industrial and logistics zone in East Port Said in Egypt. Its network serves more than 2,300 investors across 17 industrial sectors and offers multimodal connectivity by road, ports, air and national rail. KEZAD Area A in Al Ma’mourah already hosts several KEZAD Logistics Park warehouse developments.
KEZAD said the new complex supports the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy and Operation 300bn, the national industrial strategy. According to the UAE Government portal, Operation 300bn aims to raise the industrial sector’s contribution to GDP from AED 133 billion to AED 300 billion by 2031. KEZAD said that by giving investors access to infrastructure, multimodal connectivity and an integrated ecosystem, it aims to attract foreign direct investment and strengthen the emirate’s role as a global hub for trade, logistics and supply chain innovation.
Chinese companies keep expanding in the UAE
The JD.com deal is one of several Chinese moves announced on the same day. Dubai International Financial Centre said on Monday that Beijing-based China Securities, a listed securities firm and investment bank, had received a licence from the DIFC Authority to establish its regional presence in the financial centre. According to DIFC, China’s five largest banks together account for more than 30% of total assets in its banking and capital markets sector. Chinese companies with a strong presence in Dubai include BYD, Baidu, Tencent Cloud, Huawei Cloud, iMile Delivery and YTO International. In September we also reported that the number of Chinese companies in DMCC passed 1,000 after growing 9.4% in a year.
What it means for companies in the UAE
The agreement does not introduce a new procedure, fee or deadline for businesses. Its relevance is practical.
- New warehouse supply is coming to Abu Dhabi. About 150,000 square metres of automated warehousing at KEZAD Al Ma’mourah is expected in 2028. Leasing terms and prices have not been published yet.
- Where the goods go decides the structure. A company that stores goods in a free zone and re-exports them, and a company that sells to customers across the UAE, may need different licences. Our guide to mainland and free zone companies in the UAE explains how the choice works.
- About 1,000 direct jobs will need to be filled. Every specialist hired from abroad needs a UAE work permit and residence visa, and a company can only sponsor visas within the quota of its licence and premises.
Checklist for companies planning warehousing or distribution in Abu Dhabi
- Check that your trade licence covers the activities you need, such as warehousing, logistics services, general trading or e-commerce.
- Decide whether your goods will be sold in the UAE market or re-exported, and discuss the customs treatment with your customs broker before you sign a lease.
- Plan work visas for warehouse, distribution and administrative staff early, and check your visa quota before you commit to hiring.
- Keep your ownership documents, corporate bank account and accounts in order, since landlords and logistics partners review them before signing.
How Atlant Capital can help
We do not lease warehouses or run logistics operations. We set up and maintain the business side of companies that want to trade, store or distribute goods in the UAE.
- Company formation in a free zone or on the mainland, with licence activities matched to your trading and logistics model.
- Work visas and residency for your managers, specialists and their families.
- Corporate bank account opening for new and existing companies.
The bottom line
Jingdong Property, the infrastructure arm of JD.com, will build an automated logistics complex of about 150,000 square metres at KEZAD Al Ma’mourah in Abu Dhabi under an agreement with KEZAD Group announced on 28 September 2026. Delivery is expected in 2028, and the facility is expected to create about 1,000 direct jobs in logistics, distribution and administration. The investment value was not disclosed. For companies in the UAE, the project means new warehouse capacity in KEZAD Al Ma’mourah from 2028, while licences, visas and bank accounts remain the steps to prepare first.
Source: The National, KEZAD Group, UAE Government portal.
FAQ
What is JD.com building in Abu Dhabi?
Jingdong Property, the infrastructure investment and asset management arm of JD.com, will build a logistics complex of about 150,000 square metres at KEZAD Al Ma’mourah in Abu Dhabi. It will include smart automated warehousing systems and digital operations technologies and will serve local and international companies. The agreement with KEZAD Group was announced on 28 September 2026.
When will the JD.com logistics hub at KEZAD open?
Delivery of the facility is expected in 2028. KEZAD Group and Jingdong Property have not published leasing terms or prices yet. The value of the investment was not disclosed.
How many jobs will the JD.com KEZAD project create?
Once operational, the facility is expected to create about 1,000 direct jobs in logistics, distribution and administration. KEZAD also expects indirect jobs in manufacturing, retail, transportation and support services, and the construction phase will add local jobs of its own.
Where is KEZAD Al Ma’mourah?
KEZAD Al Ma’mourah, also known as KEZAD Area A, is one of the economic zones of KEZAD Group in Abu Dhabi. KEZAD Group is located next to Khalifa Port, is a subsidiary of AD Ports Group and operates 12 economic zones in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Al Dhafra Region, serving more than 2,300 investors across 17 industrial sectors.
