AD Ports Group announced today the release of its 2023 Sustainability Report, highlighting significant progress in its decarbonisation plans and demonstrating its proactive and forward-thinking approach to addressing global sustainability challenges.
Commitment to transparency and stakeholder engagement
The report reflects AD Ports Group’s commitment, as a listed entity on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, to sharing performance with stakeholders and transparency in operations. As a significant contributor to the maritime, industrial, and logistics industries, the Group’s initiatives are in harmony with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the sustainability objectives established by Abu Dhabi and the UAE.
Moreover, the report delves into the Group’s journey, partnerships, and collaborative initiatives, aiming to create a more sustainable and resilient future for everyone. It highlights the crucial role of AD Ports Group in promoting positive environmental, social, and economic impacts (ESG).
Key achievements and milestones
Additionally, some of the wide-ranging achievements covered in the report were the successful introduction of 124 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, an 84 percent employee job satisfaction rate, a 57 percent increase in the total number of employee training hours, and a 42 percent increase in the number of female employees. The Group also received several prestigious awards for its Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) work during the year from the United Nations, the Harvard Business Council, an International Business Award, and an Abu Dhabi Sustainable Business Leadership Award, among others.
Decarbonization progress and environmental impact
A major highlight was the Group’s progress in decarbonization. In 2023, the Group reduced the environmental intensity of container port handling operations through efficiency gains, energy savings, and decarbonization efforts. Its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity, an industry measure of the environmental impact of industrial activity, fell by 2 percent in 2023 to 11.67 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit) from 11.93 kgCO2e per TEU in 2022. The reductions, WAM reported, were achieved through greater efficiency within the Group’s container handling operations, more energy savings at its terminals, and ongoing decarbonization efforts such as the increased use of electricity from solar photovoltaic (PV) units.
Energy efficiency and waste reduction
The 2023 Sustainability Report further highlighted a 7 percent reduction in electricity consumption intensity. The improvements were among a broader set of sustainability gains that also included a 174 percent increase in the quantity of solid waste that was recycled. The solar PV electric generating capacity incorporated into its 2023 operations has led to a reduction of 5,000 tons of CO2 equivalent through the use of clean energy.
Future solar PV projects and sustainability plans
The Group has solar PV integration projects planned at Khalifa Port, Zayed Port, and its administrative headquarters in Abu Dhabi, as well as at a multifunctional port operation in Safaga, Egypt, managed by the Group under a concession from Egypt’s Red Sea Ports Authority.
Read more: $2.16 billion invested in seven new UAE renewable energy projects from H2 2023 to H1 2024
Global presence and industry recognition
AD Ports Group is a diversified trade, transport, logistics, and industrial development group that operates in more than 50 countries around the world. The Group operates five main business clusters in Ports, Maritime & Shipping, Economic Cities & Free Zones, Logistics, and Digital. In 2023, Khalifa Port, the flagship facility of AD Ports Group in Abu Dhabi, was recognized as the world’s third-most efficient container port according to the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) released by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence.
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