DP World transports million containers through UAE corridors

DP World has transported more than one million container units across the UAE by road and rail since March, while bringing forward the opening of two Fujairah terminals as disruption in the Strait of Hormuz continues to divert shipping.

The Dubai-based ports operator said the cargo moved from east coast gateways to Jebel Ali and domestic markets between the first week of March and the end of October. Its alternative corridors now handle approximately 3,500 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) daily, providing a route for imports that cannot reach Dubai directly by sea.

DP World has also shortened the timetable for phased operations at its planned Al Rugaylat and Dibba terminals to 18–24 months, against an earlier estimate of 24–30 months. The projects represent investment of AED2.5 billion ($681 million) over several years, with construction and commissioning proceeding in stages according to demand.

Shehab Mohamad Aljasmi, chief commercial officer for ports and terminals at DP World GCC, said the company had assembled a network of more than 3,000 trucks, including 700 it owns. The operation was developed from scratch to move containers arriving at ports outside the strait through customs-controlled inland corridors.

Containers are transferred to Jebel Ali for clearance, storage and distribution, allowing businesses to continue receiving goods despite restrictions on maritime access. Rail services supplement trucking where connections permit, although the diversion adds handling requirements and overland transport costs to supply chains.

The disruption has sharply increased freight expenses. Ahmad Yousef Al-Hassan, chief executive of DP World GCC, said container shipping costs between China and Dubai had climbed from about $2,000 before the crisis to between $10,000 and $12,000. Longer road journeys, congestion and higher diesel prices have added pressure, while DP World has absorbed some costs to support cargo movements.

The company expects shipping services at Jebel Ali to recover over one to three months after safe passage through Hormuz is restored, depending on how quickly carriers reposition vessels and reorganise their networks. Al-Hassan said discussions with shipping lines indicated continued interest in returning to the port.

Jebel Ali has remained operational during the conflict, although restrictions on access have significantly reduced throughput. DP World’s second-quarter figures showed container volumes at the port falling 90.1%, underscoring the difference between maintaining terminal operations and restoring maritime services.

The Fujairah development would create a permanent deep-water gateway on the Gulf of Oman, outside Hormuz, rather than merely an emergency diversion point. DP World is developing both facilities under a 50-year concession with Fujairah Ports Authority, with inland links intended to connect them to Jebel Ali and Jebel Ali Free Zone.

Al Rugaylat, near Fujairah International Airport, is designed for annual capacity of 2.5 million TEUs, 1.7 million tonnes of general cargo and 190,000 car equivalent units. It will be capable of accommodating ultra-large container vessels. Dibba is planned to handle up to 3.6 million tonnes of general cargo annually.

Together, the projects would lift DP World’s UAE container-handling capacity from 19.4 million TEUs to almost 22 million. Their phased development is intended to match infrastructure investment with customer demand, including cargo serving the northern emirates and transhipment routes that do not require vessels to enter the strait.

DP World has also worked with customs authorities to simplify movements across borders. Dubai Customs and Oman Customs activated a Green Corridor within 72 hours, enabling sealed trucks to carry containers directly to Jebel Ali under customs supervision. The arrangement facilitated trade valued at approximately AED34 billion between March 1 and June 30.

Aljasmi said work would focus on agreed contingency procedures, exchanging cargo information before arrival and establishing permanent cross-border connections. Etihad Rail’s link to Jebel Ali has enabled some shipments to move by train, although road transport remains central to the diversion network.

Elsewhere in its regional operations, DP World said the South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port recorded record throughput in July and October following capacity expansion to four million TEUs annually. The operator is preparing to open a $250 million logistics park in Jeddah during the first quarter of 2027.

At Jebel Ali Free Zone, occupancy remains above 90% across property categories, with land occupancy at 94% and warehouses at 99%. The zone hosts more than 12,000 companies, while DP World said it attracted over AED1 billion in new investment during the first half of 2026.