AD Ports Group announced awarding a contract to Baku Shipyard in Azerbaijan for constructing two 780 TEU container vessels designated for trade routes across the Caspian Sea.
The contract was executed with the public legal entity Azerbaijan Transport and Communication Holding, representing Baku Shipyard.
These shallow-draft vessels, specifically engineered for Caspian Sea operations, will serve a crucial role in enhancing maritime connectivity, increasing trade volumes, and strengthening the trans-Caspian logistics corridor.
The newbuilds have been designed to address growing regional containerized cargo capacity demand and ensure more efficient, reliable, and sustainable transport solutions.
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, stated that this initiative aligns with the vision and directives of the leadership in the United Arab Emirates, and reinforces AD Ports Group’s commitment to supporting growing Caspian region trade requirements.
The vessels, anticipated for delivery in Q4 2027, will be deployed on strategic routes to optimize connectivity between key Caspian Sea trading hubs.
This development follows AD Ports Group and its subsidiaries’ recent Central Asian region initiatives, driven by their strategic priority to increase efficient energy resource transportation to global markets while connecting diverse regions and stimulating economic growth.
In June 2025, the Group announced the inaugural phase of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub, Georgia’s first modern, bonded container and intermodal terminal, and a strategic logistics connection in the Group’s emerging Central Asian transport strategy.
The advanced, rail-connected logistics center links the Caspian and Black seas through Georgia, forming a vital Middle Corridor component, representing the shortest trade route between Asia and Europe.
In July 2025, a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was executed between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Azerbaijan, marking a significant advancement toward strengthening the UAE’s economic, trade, and investment presence in the Caucasus region, and deepening engagement and partnership with southern Caspian countries, consistent with the UAE’s vision to enhance strategic partnerships with high-potential markets.
The UAE represents one of Azerbaijan’s largest foreign investors, with total direct investments exceeding US$ 1 billion, reflecting the economic relationship strength between both nations and these investments’ impact on supporting Azerbaijan’s economic growth.
Azerbaijan also serves as a strategic trade and investment partner for the UAE, attributed to its strategic Caucasus location at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia trade, a region of increasing economic significance.
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