AD Ports secures $115M IFC-led financing for Safaga terminal in Egypt

Updated 2/4/2026 8:51:00 AM

Arab Finance: Abu Dhabi-based global trade, industry, and logistics group AD Ports Group has secured a $115 million project finance facility to support the development of the Noatum Ports Safaga Terminal in Egypt, as per a statement.

The financing is backed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group (WBG), with participation from Cairo-based lender National Bank of Kuwait Egypt (NBK) and other institutional investors through the IFC-managed co-lending portfolio program.

Structured with a 15-year tenor, the facility reflects international confidence in AD Ports Group’s execution capabilities and in Egypt’s strategic position within global supply chains.

The financing has received the required approvals, with financial close expected in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions precedent.

The facility aligns with AD Ports Group’s strategy of leveraging long-term, multilateral-backed funding to deliver large-scale infrastructure assets in emerging markets.

Valued at $200 million, the Noatum Ports Safaga Terminal is located on Egypt’s Red Sea coast and is set to become the first internationally operated port terminal in the Upper Egypt region.

The project forms part of AD Ports Group’s broader push to develop and operate high-performance port assets along high-growth trade corridors, with Egypt emerging as one of the group’s most significant international markets.

AD Ports Group’s activities in Egypt span container shipping, terminal operations, stevedoring, maritime agency, and cargo services.

The group is also developing cruise terminals at the Red Sea ports of Safaga, Hurghada, and Sharm El Sheikh.

In 2025, the group further expanded its footprint through a 50-year renewable usufruct agreement to develop and operate KEZAD East Port Said, a 20-square-kilometer industrial and logistics park located at the Mediterranean entrance of the Suez Canal.

Recently, AD Ports Group acquired a 19.328% equity stake in Alexandria Container & Cargo Handling Company, an Egypt-based container terminal operator, reinforcing its role as a facilitator of trade across the Mediterranean and Red Sea regions.

The group has also announced its intention to launch a cash mandatory tender offer (MTO) to acquire an additional stake in Alexandria Container and Cargo Handling Company, a move that would result in majority ownership and control.

The company operates two key Mediterranean terminals at the ports of Alexandria and El-Dekheila, complementing AD Ports Group’s expansion strategy in Egypt while delivering tangible financial returns.