DP World has transported more than one million TEUs from the UAE’s east coast ports to Jebel Ali and domestic markets through road and rail corridors between early March and the end of October, highlighting the growing importance of alternative logistics routes amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The company is also accelerating the development of its two east coast terminals in Fujairah, bringing forward the targeted phased opening to 18–24 months from the earlier estimate of 24–30 months.
Shehab Mohamad Aljasmi, Chief Commercial Officer, Ports & Terminals, DP World GCC, said during a media briefing that the company had established a trucking network comprising more than 3,000 trucks, including 700 owned by DP World. Around 3,500 TEUs are currently moving through these land corridors daily.
Cargo arriving at ports outside the Strait of Hormuz is transported through customs-controlled corridors to Jebel Ali for clearance, storage and distribution. Additional alternative routes through Sohar and Duqm in Oman, as well as Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, are providing connectivity to the UAE and wider Gulf markets.
The opening of the Jebel Ali Rail Terminal and the establishment of a 100,000-square-metre empty-container depot in Al Awir have further helped ease operational pressure on the port. Connectivity through Etihad Rail has also enabled certain cargo movements to shift from road to rail.
Dubai Customs and Oman Customs activated the Green Corridor within 72 hours, allowing containers to move directly to Jebel Ali in sealed trucks under customs supervision. The corridor facilitated trade flows worth approximately AED34 billion between March 1 and June 30.
Aljasmi said Jebel Ali Port had remained open and operational, with disruption since the beginning of the crisis limited to just six hours. The port is connected to more than 80 weekly services reaching 150 ports worldwide and has an annual container-handling capacity of 19.4 million TEUs. It handled 15.6 million TEUs in 2025.
DP World has maintained operational and equipment readiness in preparation for the full restoration of maritime services. Meetings with nine shipping lines in Asia indicated interest in returning to Jebel Ali. According to Aljasmi, services and cargo volumes could recover within one to three months after the restoration of safe passage through the Strait, depending on vessel repositioning and network adjustments.
Meanwhile, DP World’s development of the Al Rugaylat container and multi-purpose terminal and the Dibba General Cargo terminal on the UAE’s east coast is progressing under a 50-year concession.
The two projects involve an investment of approximately AED2.5 billion and will be implemented in phases based on demand.
Located near Fujairah International Airport, Al Rugaylat will have an annual capacity of around 2.5 million TEUs, in addition to 1.7 million tonnes of general cargo and 190,000 car equivalent units (CEUs). The terminal will provide a deep-water gateway capable of accommodating the latest generation of ultra-large container vessels.
The Dibba terminal will add up to 3.6 million tonnes of annual general cargo capacity, significantly expanding the UAE’s east coast capabilities in general cargo and roll-on/roll-off operations.
Once both terminals become operational, DP World’s total container-handling capacity in the UAE will increase from 19.4 million TEUs to nearly 22 million TEUs. Both facilities will be connected to Jebel Ali and Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) through the company’s inland logistics network.
Aljasmi said the developments form part of an integrated UAE port network that allows customers to select the most suitable gateway depending on cargo destinations and logistics requirements.
Jafza, which hosts more than 12,000 companies across approximately 57 square kilometres, continues to record strong occupancy levels. Occupancy exceeds 90% across its asset classes, with land occupancy at 94% and warehouse occupancy at 99%. Office occupancy has reached its highest level in a decade.
The free zone attracted more than AED1 billion in new investments during the first six months of the year, further strengthening its role as a regional hub for imports, exports, re-exports and value-added activities.
DP World is also expanding its regional logistics network. The South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port recorded record throughput in July and October 2026 following four to five years of expansion investment, which increased its annual capacity to 4 million TEUs.
The company is preparing to open its US$250 million Jeddah Logistics Park in the first quarter of 2027. Development is also continuing at the Al Rawdah Special Economic Zone near the Oman-UAE border to strengthen cross-border trade and logistics connectivity.
Aljasmi affirmed that DP World had not suspended any of its major regional investment projects, adding that the company remains committed to developing its network of ports, logistics services and economic zones.
He said the experience of recent months had reinforced the need for permanent cross-border rail connectivity, advance cargo-data exchange and pre-agreed operational protocols to ensure that alternative trade corridors could be activated quickly during disruptions.
The expanded network is expected to strengthen the resilience of UAE supply chains, improve cargo movement between ports and inland markets, and support long-term investment and economic growth across the region.