AD Ports Group is looking to expand its footprint into Eastern Europe after signing a framework agreement with National Company Maritime Ports Administration SA to explore opportunities at the Port of Constanța.

The Abu Dhabi-listed group said the deal sets the groundwork for potential investments in both new and existing infrastructure, alongside plans to roll out digital systems and sustainability measures across the Black Sea’s largest port.

Constanța handled about 88m tonnes of cargo in 2025 and around 1m teu, underlining its role as a key gateway linking maritime routes with inland networks across Central and Eastern Europe via the Danube corridor.

For AD Ports, the move fits into a wider strategy to build out the so-called Middle Corridor, an alternative trade route connecting China to Europe through Central Asia and the Caucasus.

Group chief executive Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi said the agreement opens the door to closer cooperation with a strategically positioned hub while supporting trade growth and connectivity in the region.

AD Ports has been steadily building presence along the corridor in recent years, including logistics ventures in Kazakhstan and Georgia, a grain terminal project on the Caspian Sea, and tanker deployments moving Kazakh crude westward.