Bordered by Oman and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates has become a beacon for development and trade on the Arabian Peninsula. It shares waters in the west and north with Qatar and Iran, respectively. The United Arab Emirates is made up of seven states, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain. Located in the northern part of the Strait of Hormuz, the country is a strategic country for sea container transportation and trade.
1. Jebel Ali Port (Dubai)
Jebel Ali is the largest man-made port in the world and the largest container port between Singapore and Rotterdam. The port offers the international shipping industry access to a market of 1.5 billion people, as it is the gateway between the Western Hemisphere and the Far East. As one of the most important and modern ports in the region, the port is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to meet regional and international shipping needs in and around the Arabian Sea.
2. Mina Zayed Port (Abu Dhabi)
The Mina Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi is often just called Zayed Port. It is located at the northeastern end of the city of Abu Dhabi, which is not only the capital of the United Arab Emirates, but also the financial, communication and transportation center of the UAE.
3. Mina Rashid Port (Dubai)
Mina Rashid Port is another man-made port in the Emirate of Dubai, located on the southern coast of the vast Arabian Gulf. The port's location in the heart of the city makes it ideal for passenger operations, although it also handles its fair share of cargo.
The port has received the prestigious ISO-9002 certification as well as the Safety Excellence Certificate from IMS (International Maritime Security). As the only port in the Middle East to receive this recognition and certification, Port Rashid is highly regarded in the global cruise tourism industry. The 2 million-square-meter Mina Rashid Cruise terminal can handle seven of the largest cruise ships simultaneously, each with a capacity of 25,000 passengers. Due to its competence and professionalism, the port has been named the world's leading cruise port in the Middle East at the World Travel Awards for seven consecutive years.
4. Mina Khalid Port (Sharjah)
Also known as Khalid Port, this port is also located in the center of Sharjah. It is the first port in the region to have a container terminal, a free trade terminal and a ro-ro cargo terminal. It pioneered an area that other ports such as Jebel Ali and Zayed Ports followed and expanded upon.
The Port of Mina Khalid has 12 berths for handling general cargo as well as refrigerated, bulk, dry and liquid cargoes. It has two cold storages on the quay side and is also equipped with marine and oil support. The port is undergoing several key construction works that will further modernize its facilities. These include the construction of dhow dock facilities and new berths in the breakwater reclamation area.
5. Khor Fakkhan Port (Sharjah)
The port is also in Sharjah, under the same management as the Mina Khalid port. This is the only natural deep-water harbour in the region, unlike other fully man-made harbours. As one of the main container ports in the United Arab Emirates, this port sees a lot of traffic from the Indian Ocean front. Its location outside the volatile Strait of Hormuz makes this port an obvious choice for large east-west transshipments into the UAE's hinterland.
