Adani Ports weighs controlling stake in UK port operator Associated British Ports

APSEZ is reportedly considering a 63.9% controlling stake in Associated British Ports, which operates 21 UK ports. The potential deal would extend Adani’s global logistics footprint as it targets 1 billion tonnes of capacity by 2030.

— Source publishedWed, 29 Jul, 2026, 05:30 IST·First seen Wed, 29 Jul, 2026, 05:41 IST·Source ET Small Business

What happened

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) · Adani Ports is weighing a bid for a 63.9% controlling stake in UK port operator Associated British Ports,

Key facts

  • 63.9% controlling stake under consideration
  • CPPIB holds 30% of ABP
  • OMERS holds 33.88% of ABP
  • ABP operates 21 UK ports
  • ABP 2025 revenue: £819.8 million
  • ABP 2025 operating profit: £586.5 million
  • APSEZ operates 15 Indian ports
  • APSEZ FY26 cargo handled: 501 MT
  • APSEZ capacity target: 1 billion tonnes by 2030
  • APSEZ planned five-year investment: Rs1 lakh crore
  • APSEZ gross debt at March-end: Rs55,103 crore

Why this matters

The reported bid signals that strategic control of UK port infrastructure remains a high-value cross-border M&A target for companies seeking integrated logistics scale.

What to watch

  • Formal confirmation of exclusivity, a binding offer or signed share-purchase agreement.
  • Whether the UK government calls in the transaction under the National Security and Investment regime.
  • Reported valuation, enterprise-value-to-EBITDA multiple, financing mix and expected impact on APSEZ leverage.
  • Commitments on UK capex, employment, decarbonization, port security and local governance.
  • ABP shareholder willingness to sell and emergence of competing bidders.
  • UK freight volumes, industrial production, trade policy changes and offshore-wind or energy-transition cargo growth.
  • APSEZ's subsequent overseas acquisitions, credit-rating commentary and capital-allocation guidance.
  • Conduct diligence on ABP's port-by-port cargo mix, concession terms, capex needs, labor obligations and exposure to UK industrial and trade cycles.
  • Develop a UK regulatory strategy covering National Security and Investment Act review, port-security protocols, board independence and operational ring-fencing.
  • Arrange acquisition financing while balancing leverage metrics, potentially combining internal cash flows, bank debt and longer-dated infrastructure capital.
  • Prepare a commercial integration plan linking ABP terminals with APSEZ's India-centric freight, warehousing, rail and shipping ecosystem.
  • Engage UK government, local authorities, customers, unions and supply-chain stakeholders early to position the investment as growth capital rather than control of strategic infrastructure.

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