AD Ports Buys 19.3% Stake in Alexandria Container Operator for $272M

AFRICAN BUSINESS AND ECONOMYDecember 1, 2025 at 10:17 PM UTC

TLDR

AD Ports Group acquired a 19.3% stake in Alexandria Container & Cargo Handling Company from the Saudi Egyptian Investment Company in a deal valued at more than AED 1 billion ($272 million)
The transaction expands the UAE group’s footprint in Egypt and strengthens its positioning along key Asia–Middle East–Europe trade routes
ALCN operates container terminals in Alexandria and El-Dekheilla with combined capacity of 1.5 million TEUs and a utilisation rate of 71%

AD Ports Group acquired a 19.3% stake in Alexandria Container & Cargo Handling Company from the Saudi Egyptian Investment Company in a deal valued at more than AED 1 billion ($272 million). The transaction expands the UAE group’s footprint in Egypt and strengthens its positioning along key Asia–Middle East–Europe trade routes.

ALCN operates container terminals in Alexandria and El-Dekheilla with combined capacity of 1.5 million TEUs and a utilisation rate of 71%. The company reported EGP 8.37 billion in revenue and EGP 6.09 billion in adjusted EBITDA in FY 2025. AD Ports financed the deal using a mix of cash and debt.

SEIC said the sale aligns with its portfolio strategy. Since SEIC’s 2022 investment, ALCN’s operating revenue has risen 194%. AD Ports said the stake supports its long-term plan to expand logistics and port assets across the region.

Executives from both companies said the transaction fits broader national diversification and trade-development goals in the UAE and Egypt.

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Key Takeaways

The deal adds to a series of Gulf investments in Egypt’s port and logistics assets as Cairo seeks foreign capital to stabilise the economy and scale trade capacity along the Mediterranean. AD Ports has been expanding aggressively through acquisitions and partnerships in Jordan, Pakistan and the Red Sea, aiming to build a network of regional terminals to capture rising container traffic. For Egypt, foreign operators with strong balance sheets are seen as key to upgrading infrastructure and improving efficiency at older ports. ALCN remains one of Egypt’s most strategically located terminal operators, handling a significant share of the country’s containerised cargo. The partial sale gives SEIC room to reallocate capital while keeping the company within Egypt’s broader port-sector reform agenda.

Business

AD Ports Group

Acquisition

Egypt

Alexandria Container & Cargo Handling Company

Saudi Egyptian Investment Company