diff --git a/fairmq/CMakeLists.txt b/fairmq/CMakeLists.txt
index d9ffd331..9e7854dc 100644
--- a/fairmq/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/fairmq/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ set(FAIRMQ_HEADER_FILES
     devices/FairMQProxy.h
     devices/FairMQSink.h
     devices/FairMQSplitter.h
+    ofi/TransportFactory.h
     options/FairMQParser.h
     options/FairMQProgOptions.h
     options/FairMQSuboptParser.h
@@ -146,6 +147,7 @@ set(FAIRMQ_SOURCE_FILES
     devices/FairMQProxy.cxx
     # devices/FairMQSink.cxx
     devices/FairMQSplitter.cxx
+    ofi/TransportFactory.cxx
     options/FairMQParser.cxx
     options/FairMQProgOptions.cxx
     options/FairMQSuboptParser.cxx
@@ -232,8 +234,9 @@ target_link_libraries(FairMQ
 
     PRIVATE # only libFairMQ links against private dependencies
     ZeroMQ
+    OFI::libfabric
+    Msgpack
     $<$<BOOL:${NANOMSG_FOUND}>:nanomsg>
-    $<$<AND:$<BOOL:${NANOMSG_FOUND}>,$<BOOL:${MSGPACK_FOUND}>>:Msgpack>
 )
 
 
diff --git a/fairmq/FairMQMessage.h b/fairmq/FairMQMessage.h
index a559720b..70887740 100644
--- a/fairmq/FairMQMessage.h
+++ b/fairmq/FairMQMessage.h
@@ -44,4 +44,14 @@ class FairMQMessage
 
 using FairMQMessagePtr = std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage>;
 
+namespace fair
+{
+namespace mq
+{
+
+using MessagePtr = std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage>;
+
+} /* namespace mq */
+} /* namespace fair */
+
 #endif /* FAIRMQMESSAGE_H_ */
diff --git a/fairmq/FairMQPoller.h b/fairmq/FairMQPoller.h
index a2bdb27f..436d5be5 100644
--- a/fairmq/FairMQPoller.h
+++ b/fairmq/FairMQPoller.h
@@ -32,4 +32,14 @@ class FairMQPoller
 
 using FairMQPollerPtr = std::unique_ptr<FairMQPoller>;
 
+namespace fair
+{
+namespace mq
+{
+
+using PollerPtr = std::unique_ptr<FairMQPoller>;
+
+} /* namespace mq */
+} /* namespace fair */
+
 #endif /* FAIRMQPOLLER_H_ */
diff --git a/fairmq/FairMQSocket.h b/fairmq/FairMQSocket.h
index a6d734e1..87ed5731 100644
--- a/fairmq/FairMQSocket.h
+++ b/fairmq/FairMQSocket.h
@@ -71,4 +71,14 @@ class FairMQSocket
 
 using FairMQSocketPtr = std::unique_ptr<FairMQSocket>;
 
+namespace fair
+{
+namespace mq
+{
+
+using SocketPtr = std::unique_ptr<FairMQSocket>;
+
+} /* namespace mq */
+} /* namespace fair */
+
 #endif /* FAIRMQSOCKET_H_ */
diff --git a/fairmq/FairMQTransports.h b/fairmq/FairMQTransports.h
index 49fcafe7..c664a7f7 100644
--- a/fairmq/FairMQTransports.h
+++ b/fairmq/FairMQTransports.h
@@ -1,17 +1,19 @@
 /********************************************************************************
- *    Copyright (C) 2014 GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH    *
+ * Copyright (C) 2014-2018 GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH  *
  *                                                                              *
  *              This software is distributed under the terms of the             *
  *              GNU Lesser General Public Licence (LGPL) version 3,             *
  *                  copied verbatim in the file "LICENSE"                       *
  ********************************************************************************/
-#ifndef FAIRMQTRANSPORTS_H_
-#define FAIRMQTRANSPORTS_H_
+
+#ifndef FAIR_MQ_TRANSPORTS_H
+#define FAIR_MQ_TRANSPORTS_H
 
 #include <fairmq/Tools.h>
 #include <string>
 #include <unordered_map>
 
+/// TODO deprecate this namespace
 namespace FairMQ
 {
 
@@ -20,7 +22,8 @@ enum class Transport
     DEFAULT,
     ZMQ,
     NN,
-    SHM
+    SHM,
+    OFI
 };
 
 
@@ -28,11 +31,23 @@ static std::unordered_map<std::string, Transport> TransportTypes {
     { "default", Transport::DEFAULT },
     { "zeromq", Transport::ZMQ },
     { "nanomsg", Transport::NN },
-    { "shmem", Transport::SHM }
+    { "shmem", Transport::SHM },
+    { "ofi", Transport::OFI }
 };
 
 }
 
+namespace fair
+{
+namespace mq
+{
+
+using Transport = ::FairMQ::Transport;
+using ::FairMQ::TransportTypes;
+
+} /* namespace mq */
+} /* namespace fair */
+
 namespace std
 {
 
@@ -41,4 +56,4 @@ struct hash<FairMQ::Transport> : fair::mq::tools::HashEnum<FairMQ::Transport> {}
 
 } /* namespace std */
 
-#endif /* FAIRMQTRANSPORTS_H_ */
+#endif /* FAIR_MQ_TRANSPORTS_H */
diff --git a/fairmq/FairMQUnmanagedRegion.h b/fairmq/FairMQUnmanagedRegion.h
index 744a9c6b..c02caaf3 100644
--- a/fairmq/FairMQUnmanagedRegion.h
+++ b/fairmq/FairMQUnmanagedRegion.h
@@ -26,4 +26,14 @@ class FairMQUnmanagedRegion
 
 using FairMQUnmanagedRegionPtr = std::unique_ptr<FairMQUnmanagedRegion>;
 
+namespace fair
+{
+namespace mq
+{
+
+using UnmanagedRegionPtr = std::unique_ptr<FairMQUnmanagedRegion>;
+
+} /* namespace mq */
+} /* namespace fair */
+
 #endif /* FAIRMQUNMANAGEDREGION_H_ */
diff --git a/fairmq/ofi/TransportFactory.cxx b/fairmq/ofi/TransportFactory.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ce34700a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fairmq/ofi/TransportFactory.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/********************************************************************************
+ *    Copyright (C) 2018 GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH    *
+ *                                                                              *
+ *              This software is distributed under the terms of the             *
+ *              GNU Lesser General Public Licence (LGPL) version 3,             *
+ *                  copied verbatim in the file "LICENSE"                       *
+ ********************************************************************************/
+
+#include <fairmq/ofi/TransportFactory.h>
+#include <stdexcept>
+
+namespace fair
+{
+namespace mq
+{
+namespace ofi
+{
+
+using namespace std;
+
+TransportFactory::TransportFactory(const string& id, const FairMQProgOptions* config)
+: FairMQTransportFactory{id}
+{
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::CreateMessage() const -> MessagePtr
+{
+  throw runtime_error{"Not yet implemented."};
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::CreateMessage(const size_t size) const -> MessagePtr
+{
+  throw runtime_error{"Not yet implemented."};
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::CreateMessage(void* data, const size_t size, fairmq_free_fn* ffn, void* hint) const -> MessagePtr
+{
+  throw runtime_error{"Not yet implemented."};
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::CreateMessage(UnmanagedRegionPtr& region, void* data, const size_t size, void* hint) const -> MessagePtr
+{
+  throw runtime_error{"Not yet implemented."};
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::CreateSocket(const string& type, const string& name) const -> SocketPtr
+{
+  throw runtime_error{"Not yet implemented."};
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::CreatePoller(const vector<FairMQChannel>& channels) const -> PollerPtr
+{
+  throw runtime_error{"Not yet implemented."};
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::CreatePoller(const vector<const FairMQChannel*>& channels) const -> PollerPtr
+{
+  throw runtime_error{"Not yet implemented."};
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::CreatePoller(const unordered_map<string, vector<FairMQChannel>>& channelsMap, const vector<string>& channelList) const -> PollerPtr
+{
+  throw runtime_error{"Not yet implemented."};
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::CreatePoller(const FairMQSocket& cmdSocket, const FairMQSocket& dataSocket) const -> PollerPtr
+{
+  throw runtime_error{"Not yet implemented."};
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::CreateUnmanagedRegion(const size_t size, FairMQRegionCallback callback) const -> UnmanagedRegionPtr
+{
+  throw runtime_error{"Not yet implemented."};
+}
+
+auto TransportFactory::GetType() const -> Transport
+{
+  return Transport::OFI;
+}
+
+TransportFactory::~TransportFactory()
+{
+}
+
+} /* namespace ofi */
+} /* namespace mq */
+} /* namespace fair */
diff --git a/fairmq/ofi/TransportFactory.h b/fairmq/ofi/TransportFactory.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cf82cf87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fairmq/ofi/TransportFactory.h
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/********************************************************************************
+ *    Copyright (C) 2018 GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH    *
+ *                                                                              *
+ *              This software is distributed under the terms of the             *
+ *              GNU Lesser General Public Licence (LGPL) version 3,             *
+ *                  copied verbatim in the file "LICENSE"                       *
+ ********************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef FAIR_MQ_OFI_TRANSPORTFACTORY_H
+#define FAIR_MQ_OFI_TRANSPORTFACTORY_H
+
+#include <FairMQTransportFactory.h>
+#include <options/FairMQProgOptions.h>
+
+namespace fair
+{
+namespace mq
+{
+namespace ofi
+{
+
+/**
+ * @class TransportFactory TransportFactory.h <fairmq/ofi/TransportFactory.h>
+ * @brief FairMQ transport factory for the ofi transport (implemented with ZeroMQ + libfabric)
+ *
+ * @todo TODO insert long description
+ */
+class TransportFactory : public FairMQTransportFactory
+{
+  public:
+    TransportFactory(const std::string& id = "", const FairMQProgOptions* config = nullptr);
+    TransportFactory(const TransportFactory&) = delete;
+    TransportFactory operator=(const TransportFactory&) = delete;
+
+    auto CreateMessage() const -> MessagePtr override;
+    auto CreateMessage(const std::size_t size) const -> MessagePtr override;
+    auto CreateMessage(void* data, const std::size_t size, fairmq_free_fn* ffn, void* hint = nullptr) const -> MessagePtr override;
+    auto CreateMessage(UnmanagedRegionPtr& region, void* data, const std::size_t size, void* hint = nullptr) const -> MessagePtr override;
+
+    auto CreateSocket(const std::string& type, const std::string& name) const -> SocketPtr override;
+
+    auto CreatePoller(const std::vector<FairMQChannel>& channels) const -> PollerPtr override;
+    auto CreatePoller(const std::vector<const FairMQChannel*>& channels) const -> PollerPtr override;
+    auto CreatePoller(const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::vector<FairMQChannel>>& channelsMap, const std::vector<std::string>& channelList) const -> PollerPtr override;
+    auto CreatePoller(const FairMQSocket& cmdSocket, const FairMQSocket& dataSocket) const -> PollerPtr override;
+
+    auto CreateUnmanagedRegion(const size_t size, FairMQRegionCallback callback = nullptr) const -> UnmanagedRegionPtr override;
+
+    auto GetType() const -> Transport override;
+
+    ~TransportFactory() override;
+}; /* class TransportFactory */  
+
+} /* namespace ofi */
+} /* namespace mq */
+} /* namespace fair */
+
+#endif /* FAIR_MQ_OFI_TRANSPORTFACTORY_H */