According to reports from The Economic Times and CNBC TV18, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India's biggest private port operator, is weighing a bid for Associated British Ports (ABP), the largest operator of such facilities in the UK. Tycoon Gautam Adani is looking to expand his port empire with the aim of becoming the world's biggest transport utility by 2031. The acquisition would significantly expand Adani's global port operations beyond its current network of 15 multi-commodity ports in India with a handling capacity of 627 million tonnes of cargo. This potential £10 billion deal would represent Adani Ports' largest international transaction, providing the company with a significant operational base in one of Europe's foremost trading economies.
As reported by The Economic Times, ABP owns and operates 21 strategically located ports in England, Scotland and Wales, including Immingham, the UK's largest port by tonnage, and Southampton, the nation's number one export port, which handles £40 billion of the country's exports annually. In 2025, the 21 ports handled 42.5 million tonnes of bulk cargo and 3.1 million units of unitised cargo, generating revenue of £819.8 million with an operating profit of £586.5 million. The ports run by ABP handle about a quarter of the country's seaborne trade, with substantial revenue coming from customer contracts that generate guaranteed levels of revenue. The scope of ABP's operations includes containers, automobiles, dry and liquid bulk cargo, cruise ships, and industrial real estate.
According to The Economic Times and CNBC TV18, up for grabs is a controlling stake of about 64%, which belongs to two Canadian pension funds. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) holds 30% and Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) has 33.88% of ABP. Other shareholders include Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC (20%), Wren House Infrastructure owned by Kuwait Investment Authority (10%), and Anchorage Ports LLP, owned by asset manager Hermes Infrastructure Fund. The company is also a partner for the offshore wind industry, providing operations and maintenance for over 50% of the sector's activity.
In an exchange filing issued on July 29, APSEZ stated that while it does not comment on market speculation or rumours, the company continuously evaluates opportunities that align with its long-term strategy and create sustainable value for all stakeholders. The company has consistently broadened its reach beyond India, with its most notable international acquisition being Haifa Port in Israel, purchased in collaboration with Gadot Group for around $1.18 billion, with Adani Ports owning a 70% stake. APSEZ has also initiated operations at the Colombo West International Terminal in Sri Lanka and Container Terminal 2 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, while its international assets include the North Queensland Export Terminal in Australia.
As reported by The Economic Times, the Adani firm currently runs a network of 15 multi-commodity ports in India with four international ports at Haifa in Israel, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Colombo West International Terminal in Colombo and North Queensland Export Terminal in Australia. In FY26, APSEZ achieved a record cargo handling of 500 million tonnes and has set a target to increase this figure to one billion tonnes annually by 2030. The port operator aims to expand cargo handling capacity to 1 billion tonnes by 2030, by when it hopes to handle 850 million tonnes of cargo. It also plans to expand the marine services business by increasing its fleet of tugs and offshore support vessels to over 200 from 136 currently.
