---
title: "Dubai shifts strategy: DP World builds new port in Fujairah to bypass the Strait of Hormuz"
description: "DP World plans to build a new port in Fujairah to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and reduce dependence on Jebel Ali. 🚢🇦🇪 Activity in the Dubai port has dropped by 95% due to the conflict with Iran, forcing the UAE to seek alternative routes for cargo delivery. The new terminal could start operating within 1.5 years."
date: 2026-07-14T13:04:19.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/dp-world-builds-new-port-in-fujairah-to-bypass-strait-of-hormuz
tags: [dp world, dubai, oman, strait of hormuz, iran]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Dubai shifts strategy: DP World builds new port in Fujairah to bypass the Strait of Hormuz

![Map of the Persian Gulf highlighting UAE, Oman, and Qatar alongside the UAE flag and Dubai skyline — illustrating DP World’s strategy to build a new port in Fujairah to bypass the Strait of Hormuz](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/14/dp-world-stroit-novyy-port-v-fudzheyre-obhod-ormuzskoy-protoki/dp-world-stroit-novyy-port-v-fudzheyre-obhod-ormuzskoy-protoki-1.webp)

The logistics landscape of the United Arab Emirates is undergoing fundamental changes. DP World, the world's largest port operator based in Dubai, plans to launch a large-scale project to construct a new multi-purpose port and container terminal. The location was not chosen by chance: the new capacity will be located on the eastern coast of the emirate of Fujairah.

This move aims to reduce the critical dependence on the Port of Jebel Ali and, more importantly, to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. According to sources from the Financial Times, negotiations with the government are already underway, and according to estimates by high-ranking company representatives, the new port could be commissioned within a year and a half.

### Economic necessity and geopolitics

The decision to move part of the throughput capacity outside of Dubai is dictated by a sharp change in the geopolitical situation. Following US and Israeli strikes on objects in the region, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. This led to a catastrophic drop in activity at the Port of Jebel Ali — the key hub that made Dubai a global trade center. According to data, port operations volume fell by 90-95%.

DP World's plans fully align with the UAE's state strategy to protect the economy from possible hostile actions by Iran. Currently, shipping in the strait is threatened by Iranian drones and missile strikes. Bloomberg reported that as of July 8, only a small number of tankers passed through the strait, and some supertankers were forced to turn back due to safety concerns.

### New logistics route

Creating infrastructure in Fujairah will allow DP World to expand its presence in the Gulf of Oman. The new port operating scenario differs radically from the traditional one: container ships will be able to enter and leave the country without passing through the bottleneck of the Strait of Hormuz.

Cargo delivery will be carried out according to the following scheme:

- Vessels arrive at the new terminal in Fujairah.

- Cargo is transferred to land transport.

- Trucks deliver containers to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and neighboring Persian Gulf countries.

The Port of Jebel Ali, which handled 15.6 million twenty-foot containers last year, has historically played a key role in the link between China and Africa. However, its geographical location made it vulnerable due to its dependence on the waterway between Iran and Oman.

### Financial risks and the future

Even in the event of the restoration of safe navigation, economic risks remain. It was previously reported that Iran and Oman could demand a fee for free passage through the strait. Experts estimate potential annual fees at tens of billions of dollars.

At the moment, the structure and financing of the new project in Fujairah have not been finally agreed upon, however, preliminary conditions are already being discussed with government officials. The implementation of this project will be a radical change for the emirate, which for many years has built its logistics power exclusively around Jebel Ali.