Aqaba Container Terminal Celebrates One Million TEUs and Strengthens Its Position as a Regional Hub for Advanced Logistics

Press release
Published December 31st, 2025 - 03:38 GMT

Aqaba Container Terminal Celebrates One Million TEUs and Strengthens Its Position as a Regional Hub for Advanced Logistics

Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT) celebrated a major operational milestone with the handling of one million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), marking a significant achievement that reflects the terminal’s advanced operational excellence and its leading position in regional maritime and logistics.

The celebration was attended by the Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), the Governor of Aqaba, the Chief Executive Officer of the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), the Director General at Aqaba Customs, along with senior officials, representatives of governmental and official entities, and ACT’s strategic partners.

This milestone is the result of continuous development efforts undertaken by ACT over recent years, including upgrades to its infrastructure, enhancement of operational equipment and machinery in line with the highest international standards, and a strong focus on innovation and environmental sustainability. The deployment of environmentally friendly equipment has contributed to improved operational efficiency while supporting the preservation of natural resources, in line with national and international strategic objectives.
At the core of this achievement is ACT’s human capital, which remains the cornerstone of the terminal’s success. ACT has made significant investments in training and developing national talent, enhancing both technical and managerial competencies, and equipping its workforce to operate advanced terminal systems. These investments have yielded highly skilled and agile teams capable of achieving productivity levels comparable to those of leading ports worldwide.

ACT’s current indicators demonstrate the terminal’s ability to handle growing container volumes with high operational flexibility, rising by 22% compared to 2024. This resulted in attracting a record volume of 602 vessels, up from 494 vessels in 2024, as well as improving the truck turnover. The terminal ensured smooth and efficient cargo handling processes, supported by integrated systems that facilitate scheduling and customs procedures, reduce waiting times, and enhance overall customer satisfaction.

Commenting on this achievement, Mr. Harald Nijhof, Chief Executive Officer of Aqaba Container Terminal, said, “Reaching the milestone of handling one million TEUs is more than a numerical achievement. It is a testament to Aqaba Container Terminal’s ongoing commitment to continuous development, investment in people, and the adoption of advanced and sustainable operational technologies. We are proud of what has been achieved and remain fully committed to working closely with our partners to strengthen Jordan’s position further as a leading regional logistics hub.”

Nijhof also emphasized the critical role of strong partnerships with government entities and key stakeholders. He noted that such collaboration represents a successful model of public-private partnership that ensures operational excellence and long-term sustainability.

This unprecedented milestone reaffirms Aqaba Container Terminal’s commitment to future growth, continuous improvement, and innovation across all areas of operation. It highlights its continued focus on enhancing operational efficiency, strengthening safety standards, improving customer service, and developing national human capital, in support of the Kingdom’s economic growth and competitiveness in the transport and logistics sector.

Background Information

Aqaba Container Terminal

In 2003, the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), on behalf of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, was on a mission to acquire a strategic partnership to improve the efficiency, capacity and the operational performance of the container terminal in Aqaba. After signing a Terminal Management Contract with ADC in 2004, APM Terminals (part of the global A.P. Møller–Maersk Group), took over the management and operation of the terminal.

A 25-year Joint Development Agreement (JDA) was signed between ADC and the Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT) in 2006. Under the contract, APM Terminals Jordan operates, manages and markets ACT in addition to executing the Master Plan, which anticipates achieving a drastic increase of throughput capacity through a combination of physical and operational improvements.

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