The UAE has many important ports that help the country’s economy. These ports are in different parts of the UAE, and each one has its own special facilities and features. The ports in Dubai, UAE are used for many things, like trade, transportation, and tourism. They are also a key part of the country’s transportation system. If you want to do business in the UAE, it’s important to know about these ports. Keep reading to learn more about the UAE ports and what they offer.
The UAE ports are some of the busiest and most advanced in the world. They are located at a key point on the East-West shipping routes, allowing them to handle a lot of traffic and provide efficient service to many ships each year. The ports are very important for the UAE’s economy because they help move goods and people in and out of the country. They also provide many jobs for people in the shipping and logistics industries.
The ports in Dubai, UAE are well-prepared to manage the growing amount of traffic and the needs of modern shipping. With the latest technology and facilities, the ports offer efficient and reliable services to the many ships that visit them every year.
List of the Top Ports in Dubai, UAE
1. Port Khalifa (AEKHL)
Port Khalifa, the main port in Abu Dhabi, is one of the largest deepwater harbors in the world. It is located near the Taweelah offshore port and is expected to be fully completed by 2030. The port is part of the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD), which serves both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is built on a reclaimed island and covers over 400 square kilometers, generating a lot of cargo and container traffic.
Port Khalifa is designed to take over cargo operations from Mina Zayed and has already started handling container vessels that used to go to Port Zayed. There are five stages to the port’s construction.
After the port was opened in September of that year, Phase 1 began in 2012. 2013 saw the start of Phase 2. By 2020 and 2021, these stages will be finished, tripling the capacity now used for container handling.
Under a 30-year agreement, the port handles container ships through Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT), which presently handles 1.5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) a year. Eight million tonnes of cargo and 2.5 million TEUs are the present capacity.
After all stages are finished, the port will have the capacity to accommodate 30-35 million tonnes of cargo and 15 million TEUs. The harbor has been deepened to 16 meters through dredging. As an artificial island, Port Khalifa is connected to the mainland by a causeway near the Ras Ghanada Coral Reef.
2. Mina Zayed (AEMZD)
Port Zayed is an important seaport in Abu Dhabi that has been in operation since 1972. It covers an area of 25 square kilometers and handles many ships along the Gulf Coast. The old container terminals, which took up about 10% of the port and could store up to 15,000 TEUs, are no longer in use since container handling moved to Port Khalifa.
The port has many storage warehouses for general cargo and breakbulk, with temperature controls to keep goods in good condition. Mina Zayed allows companies to store and distribute goods directly within the port, which helps reduce transit times. There is also a chilled storage area that can handle over 15,000 tons of frozen goods.
Port Zayed has 21 berths for different types of cargo, including ro-ro, project cargo, reefer units, general cargo, and petroleum products. Initially, there were 17 berths, but the port was expanded to handle more ships and cargo. The quay is over 3 kilometers long with a maximum depth of 15 meters but berths 10 to 13 are only 6 meters deep and used by smaller vessels.
Ships coming to Mina Zayed can refuel from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) fuel bunkers at reduced rates. The port also has an engineering division available for vessel repairs and maintenance.
3. Musaffah Port (AEAMF)
Musaffah Port, located in the Musaffah Industrial Zone, is the second oldest port in Abu Dhabi after Mina Zayed. It is a deep-water harbor along the 53-kilometer Musaffah Channel, which connects directly to the Persian Gulf. Efforts are underway to deepen the channel.
Musaffah is mainly an industrial area, and so is its port. There are few facilities for passengers. Instead, the port is surrounded by various industries and factories, including steel machining, shipyards, offshore constructions, dredging, commercial construction, and shipping.
Musaffah Port has modern facilities to handle different types of cargo ships. It can manage general cargo, breakbulk, solid bulk, and ro-ro ships. There are large warehouses available for companies to rent for storing and distributing goods.
The port is well-connected by road and rail to nearby regions. The Etihad Rail project, which aims to connect the nation by rail, includes Musaffah Port as a key link. This will connect the port to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and other ports for transshipment. The port is also connected by road to Abu Dhabi International Airport.
4. Port Jebel Ali (AEJEA)
Mina Jebel Ali is one of the major ports in Dubai, handling over 15 million TEUs in 2019. Constructed in 1970 with the intention of handling cargo and container traffic from Mina Rashid, it rapidly rose to prominence as one of the major ports for shipments.
Jebel Ali is currently the busiest port in the Middle East and the ninth busiest port globally. It manages a large amount of container traffic in the region and has won many awards for its excellent infrastructure and facilities.
Jebel Ali Free Port serves as a hub for both domestic and foreign businesses. It has a freight station (CFS) that deals with less-than-container-load (LCL) units.
The port is well connected to the city, Dubai International Airport, and the Airport Air Cargo Village. Mina Jebel Ali is the flagship port in Dubai Ports World’s global network, handling shipments to Asia, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Europe. It has a cargo handling capacity of 22.4 million TEUs.
The port has nearly 5 kilometers of quays, serving ships from over 150 ports around the world. The container terminals are divided into T1, T2, and T3 zones, with a T4 zone planned. T1 is the busiest terminal with 15 berths, 51 cranes, and a capacity of 9 million TEUs. It was the original terminal where the port began its operations.
5. Mina Rashid (AEDXB)
Port Rashid is a key passenger and cargo port in Dubai and was the first commercial port in the Emirate. It used to handle container and cargo operations until these were moved to Jebel Ali.
The port opened in 1972 as a small trading harbor with a capacity of less than 0.1 million TEUs. Today, it has a 1.5 million TEU capacity and features state-of-the-art technology and equipment. DP World owns and manages the port.
Port Rashid is gradually becoming a full passenger and cruise port. Jebel Ali took over cargo operations starting in 2008, and by 2018, all cargo operations were moved there. Mina Rashid is currently being expanded and redeveloped.
The port handles various types of vessels, including ro-ro, ro-pax, general passenger, and cruise ships. There are also some minor cargo operations. Extensive real estate development is planned along the waterside to turn the port into a major tourism site. Cunard Lines and the Carnival Corporation have agreements to start operations from this port by the end of 2020.
Near Mina Rashid are the Dubai Drydocks, operational since 1983, and the largest dry dock facility along the Persian Coast. Dubai Maritime City is also nearby and is set to open in 2021. It will include the Maritime Centre, Industrial Precinct, Academic Precinct, Marine District, Harbor Residence, and Harbor Offices.
6. Mina Al Hamriyah (AEHAM)
Situated near Port Rashid on the mainland of Dubai and shielded from the Persian Gulf by the Deira Islands, this port is significant for both trade and passenger traffic.
Al Hamriyah is not to be confused with the Port of Mina Hamriyah in the Free Port Zone of Sharjah. Despite its tiny size, it manages a large volume of fresh and frozen food, fish, cattle, and passenger traffic in the region.
The port was built to ease the load on Dubai Creek. Facing the port is the Palm Deira, a luxury residential complex that is almost finished.
Currently, Dubai Ports World manages the port, and there are plans to expand it by adding 2.5 kilometers of quay length. The port trades with Asia, parts of Africa, and Europe.
The port is near the Al Hamriyah Civil Defense Station and the Department of Passport Control. An extensive road and rail network connects it to other Emirates with great efficiency. Furthermore, Dubai International Airport is easily accessible.
7. Port of Fujairah (AEFJR)
Fujairah Port is the largest port on the Eastern Coast of the UAE. It’s a major deep-water port with a coastal breakwater and an average anchorage depth of 16.5 meters. The port started operating in 1983, and oil terminals were added in 2006 and 2010. It serves various purposes and is strategically located near the Straits of Hormuz.
The port is well-connected to other Emirates through the UAE expressway and is part of the Etihad Rail project, linking it to Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Um Al Qwain, Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain. Its main services include handling cargo, containers, and oil shipments. It’s equipped to manage different types of cargo like general, project, bulk, and fuel.
Fujairah Port’s breakwaters are divided into North and South zones. The North zone houses two oil terminals, while the South zone handles repairs and general cargo. Being the largest port on the Eastern Coast gives it significant importance in the region.
8. Port of Ras Al Khaimah (AERKT)
RAK Harbor is a key trading hub in the northern part of the UAE. It sits near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for ships traveling between Asia, Europe, and Africa. The port includes several smaller harbors like Mina Saqr and Mina Al Jazeera, along with the main RAK harbor.
RAK Port is modern and has Free Port Zones where many international companies operate. It offers storage for shipping lines and handles various types of cargo such as general goods, liquids, bulk items, and refrigerated goods. The port also has terminals for cruises and passengers, which attract many tourists to the region.
Mina Saqr port, located further north, focuses on handling cargo and commercial shipments. Nearby is the RAK Maritime Training Center and a Free Port Zone previously known as RAK Maritime City, which has large storage facilities.
9. Port of Khor Al Fakkan (AEKLF)
Khor Al Fakkan Port is an important hub for cargo on the Indian Ocean coast. It’s near the Straits of Hormuz and just a few hours away from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Located on the eastern coast of the Musandam Peninsula and overlooking the Gulf of Oman, Khor Al Fakkan is one of the world’s largest ports for transferring goods between ships traveling the East-West route via the Indian Ocean. It mainly handles containers and cargo for Sharjah and nearby areas.
The port has 6 quays that stretch over 2 kilometers and an average water depth of 16 meters for anchoring ships. Its facilities cover an area of over 700,000 square meters, with storage spaces totaling 450,000 square meters. The container terminal, known as KCT, can store up to 45,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). There’s also a yard for consolidating and deconsolidating less-than-container-load (LCL) shipments, along with the capacity to handle up to 1,000 refrigerated containers at once.
The port has twenty huge container cranes that can service Super post-Panamax vessels, which are capable of handling the ships effectively. There are also 26 gantry cranes, 30 container handlers, and 116 terminal tractors available on-site.
10. Port Khalid (AEKHL)
Mina Khalid is one of Sharjah’s main ports, designed to handle various types of cargo like general goods, dry goods, liquids, bulk items, and containers. It operates under the Department of Seaports and Customs, alongside Hamriyah and Khor Fakkan ports.
The port has large storage areas for different goods, including cold storage, reefer zones for perishables, and spaces for bulk cargo. There’s also an adjacent oil terminal that boosts the port’s efficiency.
Currently, Mina Khalid has 33 berths, with 21 dedicated to general cargo and the rest handling different types of goods. Container terminals 1 to 3 are managed by Gulftainer Company, similar to Khor Al Fakkan’s container terminal. Berths 4 to 8 handle general and ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) cargo, while berths 9 to 13 are used for repairs and bulk oil processing. Berths 14 to 16 manage reefer and timber cargo, and berths 16 and 17 have grain storage silos. Berth 18 deals with oil shipments, and berths 19 to 21 manage oil tankers.
Additionally, Mina Khalid has an Inland Container Depot (ICD) with road connections to other Emirates in the United Arab Emirates as well as to other areas of Sharjah. Situated on a vital commerce route leading to the Indian Ocean, it provides services to the Al Hamriyah Free Zone and Sharjah Airport Free Zone. The port handles a large volume of cargo, serving over 1.2 billion people with quick turnaround times for ships. It provides advanced services like piloting, tugs, and stevedores to support port operations.
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