Dubai Ports and Fujairah sign an agreement to establish two new terminals on the Arabian Sea

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, witnessed the signing of an agreement between Dubai Ports World (DP World) and the Fujairah Ports Authority, to establish two multi-purpose container ports, in the presence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of DP World Group, Issa Kazim, and the Director of the Port of Fujairah, Musa Murad, under a 50-year concession, which are the Rugaylat Container Port and the Dibba Al-Fujairah Port.

His Highness stressed that the initial agreement between the Fujairah Ports Authority and the Dubai Ports World Group represents a strategic step that embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah, in consolidating the emirate’s position as a global maritime and logistics center. His Highness noted that the project constitutes a qualitative addition to the economic infrastructure in Fujairah, and enhances its ability to attract quality investments, raise the efficiency of supply chains, and create new job opportunities, in a way that supports sustainable development goals and enhances the country’s competitiveness. The UAE is considered a major hub for global trade, and keeps pace with its aspirations for the future.

The development of the two stations represents a strategic project that enhances logistical flexibility in the UAE, and opens the way for broader options, higher capacity, and better connectivity across regional and global trade routes.

The project will establish a new commercial gateway in the deep waters of the Emirate of Fujairah, capable of accommodating the latest generation of giant container ships.

Rugaylat Port is designed to accommodate up to 2.5 million TEU annually, along with 1.7 million tons of general cargo and 190,000 car equivalent units (CEU), while Dibba Port will add up to 3.6 million tons of annual general cargo capacity.

DP World Group and the Fujairah Ports Authority intend to integrate each port with its own logistics area, which will form an integrated system for trade and logistics services on the Arabian Sea for the country.

This project enhances Fujairah’s growing role as a global maritime center based on its distinguished location on the Arabian Sea and direct access to the most important international shipping lines. Fujairah is emerging as a leading center for maritime services, and the two new terminals will contribute to increasing investments and job opportunities, as well as enhancing the long-term economic growth of the emirate.

When the two terminals are operational, the total container handling capacity of the DP World group in the UAE will increase from 19.4 million TEU to approximately 22 million TEU, while significantly expanding the scope of handling general cargo and ro-ro vessels.

The two new terminals will be connected to Jebel Ali through the internal logistics network of the DP World Group, and will be integrated with the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), expanding the scope of DP World’s integrated supply chain in the UAE, and allowing customers to move goods more efficiently between ports, logistics centers and final markets.

The project will be implemented in phases, and construction work is expected to take between 24 and 30 months from the start of work.

Sheikh Saleh bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Head of the Department of Industry and Economy in Fujairah, Chairman of the Fujairah Ports Authority, said: We look forward to working with DB World to complete a project that will contribute to doubling the growth of the trade and logistics sectors, and the UAE economy in general. This new development project is considered one of the most important maritime gateways in the UAE and in Fujairah in particular. The ports of Rugailat and Dibba will contribute to providing world-class operational capabilities, expanding capacity, and attracting new investments to Fujairah.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of DP World Group, DP World, said that the unique position that the UAE enjoys on the international arena is the solid foundation from which the group has embarked on its successful journey for more than four decades, and that the new investment reflects the group’s confidence in the promising future in which the UAE strengthens its role as one of the most important centers of trade and logistics services in the world.

Issa Kazim added: As an extension of the great advantages that Jebel Ali Port enjoys among the most important and largest container ports in the world, this project comes to confirm our commitment to strengthening the UAE’s strategic role in the heart of the global trade movement as one of its most important axes.

For his part, the Director of the Port of Fujairah stressed that the new partnership between DP World and the port is considered a qualitative leap and a distinctive vision for the future that will provide room for more flexibility in maritime commercial operations, pointing out that Fujairah’s attractive location for investment and flexible economic laws will contribute to providing a modern economic system and a fruitful partnership.

Yuvraj Narayan, CEO of DP World Group, DP World, said: The Port of Fujairah and the Port of Jebel Ali complement each other in providing an integrated supply chain for transporting goods inside and outside the UAE. This project, with Jebel Ali Port operating at full capacity, will provide additional capacity to support long-term growth and enhance the flexibility of the supply chain across the DP World network in the country, which for trade sectors will mean greater flexibility, wider options, and a stronger network for transporting goods in the UAE and to different regions of the world.