en.Wedoany.com Reported - AD Ports Group has established an integrated multimodal inland logistics network, connecting rail inland ports, freight stations, and industrial zones across the UAE to strengthen industrial supply chains and reduce reliance on a single gateway port.

According to the Abu Dhabi-listed company, the network will link Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals, as well as inland ports, the Abu Dhabi Industrial City (ICAD) under KEZAD Group, and multiple freight stations nationwide.

The network positions Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals as dual gateways for UAE industrial cargo. For manufacturers needing to import raw materials and export finished goods, this represents critical support. A single-channel supply chain can function under normal conditions, but vulnerabilities emerge when cargo volumes surge, schedules are delayed, or a channel is disrupted.

Four industrial companies—Emirates Global Aluminium, EMSTEEL Group, Al Ghurair Iron & Steel, and Tenaris—have signed memorandums of understanding with AD Ports Group to serve as anchor cargo customers for this rail-linked inland network.

The network's purpose is clear: to support the transport of industrial inputs, raw materials, finished goods, semi-finished products, and strategic cargo within the UAE and across broader regional trade corridors.

For breakbulk and project cargo operators, this move signals a broader shift in the Gulf logistics landscape—ports are no longer competing solely on terminal capacity but on how well they integrate factories, inland freight stations, rail connections, and export gateways into a unified operating system.

AD Ports Group stated that the network aims to ensure more reliable flows of industrial raw materials to UAE manufacturers, while providing exporters with more cargo export routes through inland transport and gateway options.

This is particularly important for heavy industry, metals, steel, and pipe-related cargo—sectors where production sites require predictable raw material supply and efficient finished product export channels. The network envisions cargo routes as a grid with multiple alternatives, rather than a single corridor to the port.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, said the network will strengthen the UAE's industrial logistics backbone and enhance the commercial utilization of national rail infrastructure.

He believes this system will improve access to industrial inputs, enhance export flexibility, and boost the long-term competitiveness of the national supply chain.

With ICAD integrated into the network, the industrial zone occupies a hub position. AD Ports Group stated that the system will support cargo flows between production bases, inland markets, and regional trade corridors.

This is crucial for KEZAD Group and manufacturers in other UAE industrial sectors. Better inland connectivity reduces friction between factory gates and port gates, especially for cargo requiring coordinated loading, unloading, storage, or further distribution.

The UAE has been intensifying investment in industrial growth, ports, and logistics infrastructure. This latest initiative more directly aligns these priorities, while also offering shippers more choices between Khalifa Port on the Abu Dhabi coast and Fujairah Terminals on the east coast.

Operational information is not just about speed but resilience. AD Ports Group stated that the network will enhance channel resilience, reduce dependence on a single gateway, and improve access to UAE and regional markets. For shippers, this is key—a logistics network is only as strong as the quality of alternative routes when the preferred one is congested or unavailable.

For the broader project cargo and industrial goods market, this development adds a new dimension to the UAE's role as a regional logistics platform. The country is positioning inland cargo connectivity as part of its port strategy, rather than a service separate from ports.

This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com