JD.com property arm to build 150,000 sqm logistics hub in Abu Dhabi

Summary

• KEZAD signed JINGDONG Property to build a 150,000 sqm warehousing complex in Abu Dhabi.
• The facility is due for delivery in 2028 at KEZAD Al Ma'mourah in Area A.
• It is expected to create around 1,000 direct jobs once operational.

The latest

An advanced logistics facility spanning roughly 150,000 square metres of warehousing will rise at KEZAD Al Ma'mourah, under an agreement between Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi and JINGDONG Property, the infrastructure investment and asset management arm of JD.com. Delivery is expected in 2028. KEZAD said the project is designed to lift supply chain efficiency for local and international companies.

Details

• The scale: The complex will comprise approximately 150,000 square metres of warehousing, offering premium storage and integrated logistics infrastructure, according to WAM. KEZAD said it is built to serve both local and international enterprises and to ease the movement of goods across regional and global markets.
• The location: The facility will sit in KEZAD Area A – KEZAD Al Ma'mourah. KEZAD describes itself as one of the region's largest operators of integrated, purpose-built economic zones, and says the site's location and infrastructure were central to the deal.
• The technology: JINGDONG Property will introduce smart automated warehousing systems and digital operations technologies, drawing on what WAM described as the company's strengths in high-quality warehousing, intelligent operations and green building. Customers will also be offered flexible, customised development services.
• The jobs: Once operational, the facility is expected to create approximately 1,000 direct jobs across logistics, distribution and administration. WAM said indirect employment is anticipated in manufacturing, retail, transportation and support services, with the construction phase adding further local jobs.
• KEZAD's position: Mohamed Al Khadar Al Ahmed, CEO of KEZAD Group, said the project reflects growing confidence among international investors in Abu Dhabi's economic ecosystem, and argued it strengthens the zone's role as a gateway for regional and global trade while advancing economic diversification.
• JD.com's position: Feng Guo, chief executive of JD.com Middle East, called the facility "a critical step in JINGDONG Property's UAE expansion strategy," saying it would deliver multimodal logistics solutions for fast-moving supply chains and deepen the group's footprint in Abu Dhabi.
• The investor: JINGDONG Property manages more than 300 infrastructure assets worldwide, covering over 28 million square metres of gross floor area, with more than $16 billion in assets under management. Its portfolio spans green logistics parks, business parks and data centres.
• The client base: The company serves customers in e-commerce, third-party logistics, manufacturing, retail and other emerging industries, according to WAM, and specialises in investing in, developing and managing the assets it builds rather than operating them for a single tenant.
• The policy frame: KEZAD linked the development to the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy and the objectives of Operation 300Bn, the emirate's industrial expansion programme, with both sides framing it as part of the emirate's push to become a global trade gateway. No investment value was disclosed.

Background

KEZAD Group operates Abu Dhabi's network of integrated economic zones, marketing industrial land, warehousing and logistics infrastructure to manufacturers and distributors. JINGDONG Property is the infrastructure arm of Chinese e-commerce group JD.com, investing in and managing logistics parks and data centres.

Between the lines

The deal's shape says as much as its size. JINGDONG Property develops and manages assets for clients across e-commerce and third-party logistics rather than for a single user, so a 150,000 sqm build signals an expectation of multi-tenant demand in Abu Dhabi, not just JD.com's own volumes. Both executives framed the project around trade gateway positioning, aligning it with Operation 300Bn's industrial targets.

What's next

Delivery is expected in 2028. Watch for a disclosed investment figure, a construction start date, and the first tenant commitments at KEZAD Al Ma'mourah, alongside further JINGDONG Property announcements under its stated UAE expansion strategy.

Source: WAM (Emirates News Agency)