Adani group’s takeover of Haifa Port is a wonderful signal: Israeli envoy

An Indian company winning tender to privatise Haifa Port, a strategic asset for Israel, is a “wonderful, wonderful signal,” Israel’s Ambassador to India Naor Gilon has said and noted that the two countries have excellent bilateral relations.

The Adani group and its Israel partner Gadot won the tender to privatise Israel’s Haifa Port earlier this year. “…Another element that I’m very proud to mention is the fact that Adani won the Haifa Port. Israel has only two Mediterranean ports and we are in a sense an island. Because our neighbourhood is not a friendly neighbourhood, so our exit to the Mediterranean sea is crucial for us,” Gilon said in ‘Podcast with Smita Prakash’.

“We have two ports, one of them is in the hands of Adani. It is a strategic asset for Israel. And for the fact that it is put in India’s hand… it is a wonderful, wonderful signal,” he added.

A consortium of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) and Israel’s Gadot Group had in July won the tender to privatise the Port of Haifa, the second largest port in Israel, amid stiff competition from local and global players.

Through the winning bid, the Adani-Gadot consortium has secured the rights to buy 100 per cent shares of Haifa Port Company. The concession period of the Port of Haifa remains up to 2054.

The consortium of APSEZ and Gadot Group was formed with their respective shares of 70 per cent and 30 per cent. The consortium’s offer was equivalent to USD 1.18 billion.

With the acquisition of the Port of Haifa, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd has expanded its footprint into the European port sector, which includes the Mediterranean region.

The Port of Haifa is located towards the north of Israel. It is close to the city of Haifa, the third largest city in Israel. It is also one of the major industrial areas of the country.

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