DP World is planning to build a new port and a container terminal on the United Arab Emirates’ east coast that would reduce Dubai’s dependence on its flagship Jebel Ali hub and bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
Will Dubai's new port plan materialize by the end of 2026?
The Dubai-based port operator is in talks to develop a brand new multipurpose port in the coastal area of Fujairah and a new terminal at the existing harbour in the same emirate, people familiar with the matter said.
Shifting some of the port’s capacity outside Dubai marks a seismic change for the emirate, which has established itself as a global trade and finance hub partly off the back of Jebel Ali’s growth.
DP World’s plans align with a broader UAE government initiative to attempt to bulletproof its economy against future hostilities with Iran by reducing its dependence on the strait, where shipping has been disrupted by Iranian drones and missile strikes since the US-Israeli attack.
Source:
The Financial Times, July 13, 2026 (local time); https://www.ft.com/content/1f97b548-1bd8-41c8-8380-043ec688d77a?syn-25a6b1a6=1
