AD Ports Group, BigBear.ai announce partnership

ABU DHABI, 28th January, 2026 (WAM) — AD Ports Group today announced a partnership agreement signed between its digital arm, Maqta Technologies, and the UAE business of BigBear.ai.

BigBear.ai is a leading provider of mission-ready AI for national security, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, United States.

The partnership announced during the World Customs Organisation Technology Conference, held in Abu Dhabi, will see the two companies explore co-development and delivery of advanced digital solutions for customs and border operations to government authorities and port operators worldwide.

Together, Maqta Technologies and BigBear.ai will explore joint research, design, development, testing, and deployment of digital platforms supporting customs management, border operations, and cross-border trade. The collaboration also includes pursuing international commercial opportunities with customs authorities, government agencies, port operators, and global trade stakeholders beyond their respective home markets.

Through the partnership, Maqta Technologies brings its established portfolio of port community systems, national single window platforms, digital customs clearance systems, and trade facilitation technologies, enabling more efficient regulatory processes, greater transparency, and improved performance across global logistics value chains.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO – AD Ports Group, said, “Our partnership with BigBear.ai represents a significant step in advancing our AI-driven digital trade and customs solutions. By combining Maqta Technologies’ deep expertise in trade facilitation, port community systems, and customs ecosystems with BigBear.ai’s advanced capabilities in AI and customs, we would be well positioned to deliver next-generation platforms that enhance efficiency, transparency, and risk management across global trade and logistics networks.”

BigBear.ai brings extensive expertise in AI-driven customs capabilities to the partnership, including automated image analysis for customs inspections, integrated risk management and decision-support platforms, and multi-modal border management solutions that enhance security, efficiency, and decision-making.

Kevin McAleenan, CEO of BigBear. ai and former acting Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, said, “BigBear.ai is delighted to partner with AD Ports Group. They understand the catalytic power of AI from the very top of the organisation. They are driving hard to be the market leader in the application of the most advanced AI to support their operators and enhance global trade-flows. This partnership combines BigBear.ai’s extensive domain expertise in AI and customs with AD Ports Group’s global leadership in ports management and logistics. It’s tailor-made to help governments pursue the twin objectives of increasing collections and enhancing security at pace. After nearly two decades in U.S. government applying cutting edge technology to facilitate the fast and transparent movement of goods through the global economy, I believe we are on the verge of some game-changing breakthroughs and the UAE is pushing forwards, fast.”

By integrating artificial intelligence with established digital trade infrastructure, the partnership aims to support customs authorities and trade ecosystems in improving operational efficiency, strengthening border security, reducing processing times, and enabling smarter, more sustainable trade flows. The collaboration aligns with the broader objectives of advancing digital transformation across global trade and logistics networks.