EGA and Gulftainer sign agreement to boost aluminium exports from UAE East Coast

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), a leading non-oil industrial conglomerate in the UAE, has partnered with global ports operator Gulftainer to enhance aluminium exports through the UAE's eastern coast. This agreement is part of EGA's strategy to improve its outbound logistics network and maintain its position as the largest producer of premium aluminium globally.

In the first year, EGA plans to ship up to 250,000 tonnes of aluminium from the UAE's East Coast, with ambitions to increase this to 300,000 tonnes in the second year and beyond.

EGA's CEO, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, emphasized that the company is a major supplier of premium aluminium to customers in over 50 countries. He stated that the partnership with Gulftainer is a significant step towards delivering reliable aluminium shipments to its international clientele. Gulftainer, which operates the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal on the UAE's East Coast and additional facilities in Sharjah, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the US, will invest in expanding its port infrastructure to accommodate EGA's growing export needs.

Gulftainer CEO Farid Belbouab revealed that the company aims to nearly triple its capacity at the Khor Fakkan terminal, initially increasing it from 3.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to 5 million within three months. The company plans to further scale capacity in phases, reaching seven million TEUs and then 10 million TEUs over 24 and 36 months, respectively.

Belbouab highlighted that this agreement goes beyond logistics, as it builds resilience for UAE trade by providing a strategic, efficient, and reliable gateway to global markets.

This collaboration comes as other UAE companies, such as Abu Dhabi chemicals maker Borouge, explore alternative export routes to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which has been disrupted due to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels.