AD Ports Group has awarded Baku Shipyard the contract for the construction of two container ships with a capacity of 780 TEU, to operate on strategic routes in the Caspian Sea. The decision is part of its strategy to strengthen the trans-Caspian logistics corridor and respond to the sustained growth of regional trade.
Adapting routes in the Caspian to local conditions
Specially designed for shallow waters, these vessels will enable cargo capacity to be expanded in areas where traditional drafts are inefficient. They will be delivered by the end of 2027 and will be deployed on routes connecting key intermodal transport points between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
The agreement with the Azerbaijani shipyard comes under the representation of AZCON, the country’s state-owned entity. This action consolidates Emirati participation in key logistics infrastructure linking Central Asia to Eastern Europe through a network spanning the Caspian and Black Seas.
This award coincides with AD Ports’ recent efforts in the region, such as the commissioning of the Tbilisi Intermodal Center in Georgia, inaugurated in June 2025. It also reinforces the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed between the UAE and Azerbaijan in July, which aims to strengthen trade, investment and connectivity cooperation.
Boosting sustainable supply chains
AD Ports Group CEO, Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, noted that the vessels will contribute to logistics growth in a region looking for alternatives to traditional freight transit. In addition, the new container ships will meet international standards of efficiency and sustainability. efficiency and sustainabilityThese are top priorities for the group.
The partnership also responds to the increase in non-oil trade between Emirates and Azerbaijan, which exceeded $2.2 billion in 2024. This trade dynamism, along with the 6.3% growth in the Azeri non-oil sector, reinforces the country’s position as a vital logistics point in the Middle Corridor.
Source and photo: AD Ports Group
