AD Ports Group has signed a 30-year concession agreement with Aqaba Development Corporation to manage and operate the Aqaba Multipurpose Port — Jordan’s only general and project cargo port.

The project will be implemented through a joint venture structure, with 70% held by AD Ports Group and 30% by ADC. The Group plans to invest AED 141 million ($38.4 million) and is expected to officially assume operational control in August this year.

Aqaba Port handles approximately 80% of Jordan’s exports and 65% of its imports, serving as a key transit gateway for regional trade, including flows to Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The port processes general cargo, grain, livestock, Ro-Ro, and project cargo, with an annual capacity of around 11 million tons, 9 berths, a 2-km quay line, and a maximum draft of 13.5 meters.

This marks AD Ports Group’s largest infrastructure investment in Jordan to date, strengthening its presence in the region and reinforcing Aqaba’s role as a strategic logistics hub.

Founded in 2006 in the UAE, AD Ports Group is an integrated ports, logistics, and maritime services operator. The company is publicly listed, with a controlling stake held by the Abu Dhabi government via ADQ.

Algeria has officially opened the Western Mining Railway, Africa’s first heavy-haul railway built across desert terrain, marking a major milestone for the country’s transport infrastructure. The new line is expected to strengthen Algeria’s national rail network and support economic development and connectivity in the country’s south-western regions.

The railway stretches 950 km, with 575 km constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) in partnership with Algerian state-owned companies. The project represents the largest infrastructure development ever undertaken by a Chinese company in Algeria and is designed specifically for transporting heavy bulk cargo from mining areas across the desert.

The launch highlights China’s growing role in large-scale rail infrastructure in Africa and Algeria’s focus on expanding logistics capacity beyond coastal regions.

Chinese company Guoyou Materials is developing a project to construct a multifunctional port complex in Kuryk on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea. The project’s investment volume is estimated at $1.1 billion, with the port positioned as a key logistics hub linking China – the Caspian region – the Caucasus – Europe as part of the Middle Corridor development.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with full commercial operations expected by 2028. The project includes the development of a modern transshipment cluster featuring seven berths, warehouse and logistics facilities, rail and road access, as well as digital cargo management solutions, including TOS systems and EDI integration.

The designed capacity of the first phase will reach up to 180,000 TEU of container cargo per year, up to 180,000 vehicles, and approximately 2–3 million tons of bulk cargo. The port is expected to significantly strengthen the transit potential of the Caspian region and enhance the role of the Middle Corridor in Eurasian logistics.

China’s first vacuum-based automatic mooring system has been put into operation at the Port of Qingdao, reducing mooring time to just 30 seconds compared with 20–30 minutes using conventional methods. The system began operating on January 1 at a fully automated container terminal and was first used during the berthing of the 366-meter-long container vessel MSC Saudi Arabia. Mooring is carried out without human involvement: vacuum modules secure the vessel’s hull directly to the quay, eliminating the need for mooring lines. The system consists of 13 modules installed along the berth and is designed to handle container ships longer than 200 meters. According to port authorities, the technology is expected to reduce total berth time by more than 200 hours per year, equivalent to handling over ten additional vessel calls at a single berth. Beyond productivity gains, the key benefit lies in improved industrial safety, as removing manual operations in mooring zones significantly reduces risks for port workers. The project further strengthens Qingdao’s role as a benchmark site for scaling intelligent port technologies across China.

In 2025, shipping lines ordered around 600 new container vessels, up 42% year-on-year compared with 2024 (413 ships). This marks the second-highest order volume on record, according to Veson Nautical.

The figure is given as an estimate, as some contracts are still in the final confirmation stage. Still, the trend is clear: despite high newbuilding prices, regulatory uncertainty, and the lack of clarity around future fuels, carriers continue to invest heavily in fleet expansion.

Order activity in 2025 was supported by steady container demand, growth in global trade, and longer sailing distances caused by diversions around the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, which temporarily absorbed available fleet capacity.

At the same time, the orderbook structure is shifting. The market is moving away from ultra-large vessels toward more flexible ship sizes. The main focus is on Post-Panamax ships, with 213 orders placed (+53% YoY). These vessels are seen as a “sweet spot”: suitable for East–West trades without the infrastructure constraints faced by ULCVs.

Where the ships were ordered:

China accounted for about 78% of all orders (around 468 vessels), driven by pricing, scale, and shipbuilding capacity. South Korea took roughly 19%, focusing on more complex and alternative-fuel projects.

Who placed the orders:

China led among buyers with 159 vessels (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), followed by Singapore with 70 orders (+43%). European shipowners remained selective, prioritising technology over volume.

Veson Nautical cautions that after 2026, supply growth may begin to outpace demand. If Suez transits normalize, ton-mile demand could decline, increasing pressure on freight rates.