Abu Dhabi-based the AD Ports Group has completed its acquisition of Brazilian agri-bulk terminal operator Corredor Logística e Infraestrutura (CLI), adding facilities at the ports of Santos and Itaqui.
The AD Ports Group said the transaction marks its first strategic entry into South America and is the largest acquisition in its history, being valued at approximately US$835 million.
CLI was acquired from funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management and IG4 Capital.
The AD Ports Group said the transaction was completed once standard closing requirements had been satisfied, with regulatory and antitrust clearance from Brazil’s National Waterway Transportation Agency and the Administrative Council for Economic Defense.
CLI runs two terminals for agri-bulk exports under long-term concessions: CLI Sul, at Santos, which handles sugar, corn and soybeans; and CLI Norte, at Itaqui, which forms part of a northern corridor for agricultural exports.
At the time of the acquisition agreement in June, CLI owned 100 per cent of CLI Norte and 80 per cent of CLI Sul. The group said the facilities link Brazil’s main production areas to markets worldwide.
Figures reported by AD Ports Group show that CLI moved 17 million tonnes of agri-bulk cargo during 2025. Revenue was AED654 million (US$178 million), while gross operating profit totalled AED360 million (US$98 million).
Mohammed Al Tamimi, CEO of Noatum Ports, said the AD Ports Group’s international ports business will integrate CLI into its existing global operations.
The AD Ports Group plans to establish direct routes between Brazil, Khalifa Port and Abu Dhabi Food Hub. The company said these proposed links will carry Brazilian agricultural commodities to markets regionally and internationally.
The acquisition of CLI was announced on June 2 and was initially expected to close in the second half of 2026. In its Q2 2026 results published on August 14, the AD Ports Group had expected completion at the end of the third quarter of this year.
CLI’s Santos operation comprises the integrated T16 and T19 terminals. CLI acquired its 80 per cent interest from Rumo in November 2022, with Rumo retaining the remaining 20 per cent.
At the time, the two terminals could handle 16 million tonnes annually, with half the capacity for grains and half for sugar.