Abu Dhabi, UAE – Abu Dhabi Ports Group announced on Wednesday that it has acquired an additional 30% ownership stake in a deal worth AED 1.1 billion (equivalent to US$300 million) in Global Feder Shipping (GFS). One of its most strategic assets, bringing its total stake in the company to 81%.
In February 2024, the group completed the acquisition of a 51% stake in Dubai-based Global Feder Shipping. It is the fourth largest regional container shipping company in the world in terms of capacity. Giving the group the right to a purchase option that it can exercise by December 2026 to increase its ownership shares.
The group exercised this purchase option right at the same institutional value set in 2024 of 3.67 billion dirhams (equivalent to one billion US dollars). The acquisition will be financed through a combination of debt and asset monetization deals.
accelerated growth
Abu Dhabi Ports Group’s regional container shipping business, which transports goods using medium and small-sized ships between major transit centers and smaller ports, has witnessed rapid growth since its initial launch in 2020. GFS is among the Group’s most strategically important assets. Despite the challenges facing the maritime sector, the company has succeeded in maintaining and expanding its commercial links. At a time when other operating companies withdrew, ensuring a continuous and safe flow of goods for traders in the GCC region. In addition to serving the regions of the Indian subcontinent, the Red Sea, the Far East, the Mediterranean, and Africa. This reinforces Abu Dhabi Ports Group’s role as a reliable enabler of trade during times of market volatility.
Thanks to these efforts, the company succeeded in expanding the group’s geographical scope and its customer base. Connecting its stations to a wider range of promising economies, while consolidating its presence in the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.
Strengthening the group’s capacity
Increasing the group’s share to 81% will contribute to enhancing the Abu Dhabi Ports Group’s ability to generate cash flows. And to enable greater levels of strategic and operational control over this essential asset. This enables it to achieve deeper integration with its business sectors, which include ports, economic cities, and logistics services.
This, in turn, will consolidate and develop the integrated and comprehensive trade and logistics solutions provided by the Abu Dhabi Ports Group to its customers around the world.
During 2025, Global Feder Shipping successfully handled 2.8 million 20-foot TEUs. It made more than 700 flights through 89 ports in 54 countries.
Accumulation of profits
Since the group acquired a 51% stake in it in February 2024, the company has also succeeded in recording a cumulative total of profits before deducting interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization exceeding 1.8 billion dirhams, “equivalent to 500 million US dollars”.
Along with Ship Feders and Transmar, Global Feder Shipping is the main pillar of the group’s regional container shipping business. It provides essential services for the movement of goods to and from the UAE.
Total regional container shipping revenues in 2025 increased by 17% year-on-year compared to 2024. Which contributed to expanding the global presence and playing a major role in the group’s trade system, which includes the port sectors. Economic cities and free zones, the maritime and shipping sector, the logistics sector, and the digital sector.
It is noteworthy that the group’s maritime and shipping sector recorded a growth in its total revenues of 33% in 2025, reaching 10.7 billion dirhams. While the sector’s profits before deducting interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization witnessed a growth of 25% on an annual basis, reaching 2.5 billion dirhams.
Overall, the maritime and shipping sector contributed 51% of Abu Dhabi Ports Group’s revenues. And 45% of the group’s profits before deducting interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.
