SHIP2SHORE — 2026-11-05
Maritime and Ports
United Global Ro-Ro (UGR) has expanded its fleet through the acquisition of 2 new Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) vessels, thus increasing its total single-voyage capacity by 22% to 44,461 CEUs and its annual transportation capacity transport by 100,000 extra vehicles per year to 700,000 vehicles.
Joining its fleet are UGR Aqaba and UGR Safaga, both purchased from Grimaldi Group; they were respectively Grande Colonia, built in 2007, and Grande Napoli, built in 2003, and both have been renamed now.
The newly acquired vessels are capable of transporting a broad range of vehicles and cargo, particularly passenger cars and light commercial vehicles: buses, trailers, tractor-trailer combinations, excavators, loaders, tracked construction equipment, motorcycles, project cargo transported on MAFI trailers, cranes, crane trucks and power transformers.
UGR plans to expand its fleet further with additional vessels scheduled to join by the end of the year, followed by further additions in 2027 that will increase both fleet size and overall transportation capacity.
“With every new step, we increase our carrying capacity and strengthen our operational capabilities” commented Tolga Emrah Gezgin, Chairman of the Board of UGR. “UGR operates across 20 countries and 30 ports through an extensive network spanning Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Gulf, North Africa, the Far East and South Asia. In addition to transporting vehicles from the Far East to Europe and the Middle East, we deliver vehicles manufactured in Europe and Türkiye to Middle Eastern markets, creating a strong two-way logistics network; this structure enables us to work with some of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers”.
Established in 2025, United Global Ro-Ro (UGR) is a joint venture between Noatum Maritime, part of AD Ports Group, and Türkiye-based Erkport, recognised for its longstanding experience and operational capabilities in ro-ro transportation, managing its global operations from its headquarters in İzmir and Dubai.
Formerly known as Busserk at its inception in 2013, Erkport specializes in handling general cargo and bulk solid loads and also offers innovative and flexible stevedoring services for bulk liquid, overflow, and project cargoes. The port operator provides also cargo lashing and fixing, free and bonded warehouse management, land and sea transportation, and in 2021 expanded its solution network to include ro-ro transportation.
Over a decade ago AD Ports Group set out with the aim to become an industry leader in delivering integrated maritime services to world-class standards; from a local operation under the name SAFEEN Group the concept has grown into Noatum Maritime, a global powerhouse offering end-to-end solutions for the maritime sector, a transformation driven by strategic expansion, acquisitions and partnerships with industry leaders, now encompassing 15 companies.
Key milestones include acquiring a majority stake in Global Feeder Shipping (GFS) to create the world’s third-largest common feeder container shipping company, entering Central Asia’s tanker market through our joint venture with KazMunayGas, and expanding into drydock services.
With the acquisition of Spain-based Noatum Ports, a leading global port operator, facilitating trade and enhancing connectivity across three continents with a network of 26 terminals, operations span multipurpose, container, general and bulk and ro-ro terminals.
In fact Noatum Ports is the international ports arm of AD Ports Group with 31 ports and terminals around the world including 11 in the United Arab Emirates operating under Abu Dhabi Ports brand. In the UAE, Noatum Ports operates Autoterminal Khalifa Port (ATK).