Photo Credit : WAM
AD Ports Group has announced its largest acquisition to date, agreeing to purchase Brazil-based Corredor Logística e Infraestrutura (CLI), the country’s leading independent agri-bulk port terminal operator, in a deal valued at AED 3.1 billion (USD 835 million).
The acquisition marks AD Ports Group’s entry into the South American market and significantly strengthens its position in the global agricultural logistics sector.
Headquartered in São Paulo, CLI operates two major agri-bulk export terminals under long-term concessions. These include CLI Sul at the Port of Santos, Brazil’s leading sugar export terminal and a major hub for soybean and corn exports, and CLI Norte at the Port of Itaqui, a strategic gateway located within Brazil’s rapidly growing “Arc of the North” logistics corridor.
The transaction, which is subject to regulatory and antitrust approvals, is expected to close during the second half of 2026. AD Ports Group will acquire the business from its current owners, Macquarie Asset Management and IG4 Capital, while retaining CLI’s existing management team to ensure operational continuity.
The acquisition gives AD Ports Group control of a platform that handled approximately 17 million tonnes of agri-bulk cargo in 2025 and generated revenues of AED 654 million (USD 178 million), with EBITDA reaching AED 360 million (USD 98 million).
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, described the acquisition as a landmark milestone for the company’s international growth strategy.
“The purchase of CLI is a game changer for AD Ports Group,” he said. “This transaction extends our international footprint into Latin America for the first time while strengthening our presence in the agricultural commodities sector, one of our key strategic growth areas.”
He added that the investment supports the Group’s vision of creating stronger trade links between South America, the Indian Subcontinent, East Africa and Southeast Asia, while enhancing global supply chain connectivity.
Brazil is one of the world’s leading exporters of agricultural commodities, including sugar, soybeans, corn and coffee. The country accounts for nearly half of global sugar exports, making it a strategically important market for AD Ports Group’s agribusiness ambitions.
The acquisition also aligns with growing economic ties between the UAE and South America. The UAE is currently engaged in advanced negotiations with Mercosur, the South American trade bloc that includes Brazil, on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
Macquarie Asset Management welcomed the deal, noting that Brazil’s agricultural export sector continues to demonstrate strong resilience and long-term growth potential.
Fernando Lohmann, Head of Macquarie Asset Management in Brazil, said AD Ports Group is well positioned to support CLI’s next phase of development through its global trade expertise and infrastructure capabilities.
Paulo Todescan L. Mattos, Co-Founder, Managing Partner and CEO of IG4 Capital, said the transaction reflects years of efforts to strengthen CLI’s operational performance and expand its strategic footprint within Brazil’s export sector.
The deal further advances AD Ports Group’s strategy of expanding its agrifood logistics portfolio worldwide. Recent investments include grain terminal developments in Kazakhstan, agricultural infrastructure projects in Pakistan, and a 30-year concession for the operation of the Aqaba multipurpose port in Jordan.
With the addition of CLI, AD Ports Group gains a strategic foothold in one of the world’s most important agricultural export markets while reinforcing its role as a global trade and logistics leader.
