Sea ports

There are three major seaports in Dubai, Jebel Ali, Port Rashid and Al Hamriya.

JEBEL ALI

Jebel Ali Port is operated by DP World. It is the largest port in the Middle East, is ranked the 9th largest container port worldwide and has the world's largest man-made harbour. Jebel Ali Port was opened for business in 1979, supplementing the operations at Port Rashid. The port encompasses over one million square metres of container yard, has space for medium- and long-term general cargo storage and offers almost 960,000 square metres of open storage. The Container Freight Station includes 17,400 square metres of covered storage and over 200,000 square metres of open storage. The Cool Stores accommodate chilled perishables and semi-perishables in a 2,695 square metres humidity- and temperature-controlled facility. The facility has a 1,400 pallet capacity. Jebel Ali Port is linked to Dubai's expressway system and to Dubai International Airport Cargo Village. The facilities at Cargo Village are capable of handling perishable and time-sensitive cargo. Located next to Jebel Ali Port, Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) is a major free zone authority in the emirate of Dubai, which is offering free zone business setup as well as offshore setup.

PORT RASHID

Port Rashid was opened in 1972 and named after Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, father of Sheikh Mohammed, the current ruler of Dubai. It is operated by DP World. Port Rashid is a multi-purpose port equipped to handle both cargo and passenger operations. Its central location in the heart of Dubai makes it very attractive both to traditional traders and tourists. It is the only port in the Middle East to receive the ISO-9002 accreditation and the Security Certificate of Excellence issued by International Maritime Security (IMS). The cargo section of the port handles all types of vessels - from wooden dhows, break-bulk and bulk vessels to RoRo carriers. The Cruise Terminal is currently equipped to handle five mega cruise vessels simultaneously. The port's main advantage is its access to Dubai's used car markets. With support by the Road and Transport Authority (RTA), the port caters to smooth used cars exports. Port Rashid also offers a ferry service to passengers moving between Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq and Iran. Last but not least, the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE 2) is laid up in Port Rashid since June 4th, 2009.

AL HAMRIYA

Al Hamriya Port is positioned as the traditional cargo gateway to Dubai. The port plays a key role in facilitating non-containerized cargo movements between Dubai, Arabian Gulf, East Africa and Western India. The port is capable of handling all types of ships - dhows, break-bulk and RoRo vessels. The fishing industry is also well supported. Al Hamriya's piers are capable of handling 190 fishing boats simultaneously. Al Hamriya also houses one of the region's largest quarantine facility, hence making it the port of choice for livestock imports. Al Hamriya is also managed by DP World but under the brand of Emirates Ports Company.