AD Ports Group Recognised with Multiple Honours at 2025 Harvard Business Council’s AI & Innovation Awards

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 23 July 2025: AD Ports Group (ADX: ADPORTS), a leading facilitator of global trade, logistics, and industry, has won eight prestigious awards at the Harvard Business Council (HBC) 2025 AI & Innovation Convention & International Awards Ceremony. This esteemed event took place at the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (RSA) in London, an institution renowned for its dedication to social progress and innovation since 1754.

These accolades are a testament to AD Ports Group's extraordinary resilience and visionary leadership, solidifying its position at the forefront of the trade and logistics industry.

Eiman Al Khalaqi, Senior Vice President of Innovation, AD Ports Group, said: “We are delighted that the Harvard Business Council has recognised AD Ports Group’s significant achievements. This acknowledgment is a testament to our team's unwavering commitment to enhancing our services and pushing the boundaries of excellence, driving our Group towards new heights of global leadership and innovation.”

The awards celebrated exceptional achievements in AI integration, sustainability, and innovation across global sectors.

Achievements of AD Ports Group at HBC 2025:

1. Corporate Responsibility Award
   Ports Cluster – AD Ports Group, Diamond Winner, has set a gold standard for responsible leadership by aligning its strategy with global sustainability goals and launching impactful initiatives that have touched over one million lives. With strong executive commitment, innovative tools, and a deep focus on people, planet, and prosperity, the Group’s Ports Cluster has shown how business can be a force for good.
2. Business Sustainability Award
   Noatum Maritime – AD Ports Group, Gold Winner, has set a new global benchmark in green maritime innovation by launching the region’s first all-electric pilot boat and the world’s most powerful electric tug, Noatum Maritime is leading the way toward a net-zero future with cutting-edge sustainability practices, circular waste management, and a strong commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
3. Business Partnerships Award
   Ports Cluster – AD Ports Group, Gold Winner, has redefined global partnership excellence, driving over AED 5 billion into the UAE’s GDP. Forging alliances across four continents and powering the region’s most advanced, sustainable port network.
4. Innovative Idea Award
   SAFEEN Subsea – AD Ports Group, Gold Winner, has developed SAFEEN Green, the region’s first fully autonomous, Unmanned Surface Vessel. This innovation has set a new industry benchmark in efficiency, safety, and sustainability, achieving over 40% cost savings and zero offshore personnel, with a proven track record on high-impact survey projects.
5. Innovation Award
   AD Ports Group, Gold Winner, has empowered employees through its IBTIKAR platform to contribute over 18,000 ideas, with more than 50% implemented. This platform has delivered measurable impact in sustainability, digital transformation, and customer value. The Group’s innovation model has been validated by eight consecutive Platinum accreditations, ISO 56002 certification, and a Level 4 Global Innovation Maturity certification from the Global Innovation Management Institute (GIMI).
6. Executives Award
   Eiman Al Khalaqi, Senior Vice President of Innovation, Gold Winner, has championed a culture of innovation across the Group, leading strategic innovation platforms, achieving global certifications, and fostering enterprise-wide engagement that positioned the Group as a regional benchmark in innovation maturity, sustainability impact, and continuous digital evolution.
7. Professional Award
   Ashraf Yaseen, Senior Manager of Business Excellence, Gold Winner, has pioneered excellence frameworks, advanced award innovation, and integrated sustainability into core practices. His initiatives have enabled impactful collaboration and digital transformation, generating strategic value across AD Ports Group and wider maritime sector, while reinforcing its position as a regional leader in business excellence and maritime innovation.
8. Professional Award
   Jeffrey Casianan, Executive – HSE, Gold Winner, has significantly enhanced safety performance and operational excellence within the Ports Cluster. Through his active contribution to HSE and CSR initiatives, he helped implement impactful programs that improved outcomes on the ground, driven financial savings, and supported the cluster’s position as a leader in responsible port operations.

This year’s HBC convention and awards ceremony marked a milestone with the global launch of the Intelligent Sustainable Excellence (ISE) Model, alongside the recognition of 63 winners across 30 categories — selected from 4,172 applications and more than 5,500 assessment hours. 

The Harvard Business Council International Awards is the global standard for total quality management and continuous improvement. This platform offers organisations from around the world the opportunity to tell their success stories of achieving organisational excellence, adopting best practices, and providing services that meet stakeholders’ expectations.