Gulftainer, a global leader in integrated maritime and logistics solutions based in Sharjah, today (July 7) announced the most significant transformation in its nearly 50-year history, unveiling a bold new strategy to become a global trade infrastructure company that integrates ports, shipping, inland logistics, industrial ecosystems and AI-powered supply chains into a single connected platform serving some of the world's fastest-growing trade corridors.

The company said the strategy aims to connect more than 10 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of future port capacity at Khorfakkan Commercial Terminal with 2.3 million TEUs of inland logistics capacity across Al Dhaid Logistics Park and Sajaa Logistics Park.

The expansion will include maritime services through GT Lines, which currently operates 10 chartered vessels, as well as the development of AI-powered platforms covering supply chain management, customer services, digital payments and logistics solutions, it stated.

Gulftainer said it plans to operate across trade routes linking the UAE, Indian Subcontinent, China, East Africa and the Gulf region through four business platforms: GT Ports, GT Logistics, GT Parks and GT Maritime.

"This is more than an expansion of our business—it is the launch of a new chapter in Gulftainer's history," remarked its Group CEO Farid Belbouab said.

"For nearly fifty years, Gulftainer connected ports. The next fifty years will be about connecting economies.

Global trade is changing fundamentally. Customers are no longer looking for isolated logistics services—they are looking for resilient, intelligent and fully integrated supply chain solutions,” he stated.

The company said the shift reflects changing global trade patterns, with businesses increasingly seeking integrated logistics solutions that combine physical infrastructure with digital capabilities.

On its key projects, Gulftainer said Phase 1 of Al Dhaid Logistics Park will cover 1.5 million sq m area, while the wider development will contribute to the creation of an integrated logistics ecosystem in the region.

At the centre of Gulftainer's strategy is the continued expansion of Khorfakkan Commercial Terminal (KCT) from 3.5 million TEUs to 5 million TEUs, with a long-term masterplan exceeding 10 million TEUs. Future integration with Etihad Rail will further strengthen KCT as a fully multimodal gateway connecting sea, road and rail, remarked Belbouab.

Complementing KCT are Al Dhaid Logistics Park and Sajaa Logistics Park, which together will provide 2.3 million TEUs of annual inland logistics capacity, he stated.

“Collectively, these developments are creating one of the Middle East's largest integrated logistics ecosystems, combining warehousing, bonded and non-bonded storage, cold chain, contract logistics, container freight stations (CFS), distribution centres, e-commerce fulfilment, cross-docking, value-added logistics, light industrial activities and multimodal transport solutions within a single connected platform,” noted the top official.

Together with GT Lines, which currently operates 10 chartered vessels and is expanding through owned vessels, Gulftainer is creating integrated trade corridors that seamlessly connect ports, shipping and inland logistics across the region, he added.

The UAE-based port operator said itaims to support trade flows through strategic corridors, including routes linked to the India-Middle East Economic Corridor and China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The new strategy is focused on connecting maritime gateways, inland infrastructure and digital platforms to improve supply chain efficiency, it added.-TradeArabia News Service