H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, visited Jebel Ali Port to review operations, assess trade infrastructure investments and meet teams overseeing regional trade flows.

During the visit, officials from DP World briefed Sheikh Hamdan on the port’s operational performance and logistics capabilities over the past two months. The company said nearly 200,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) were handled through regional overland truck and rail corridors during the period, reflecting the resilience of the port’s wider logistics network.

Sheikh Hamdan praised the teams at Jebel Ali Port for maintaining the smooth movement of trade and highlighted Dubai’s long-term investments in infrastructure and global connectivity.

He said Dubai’s position as a global trade hub has been built on strategic planning, advanced infrastructure, and strong international connectivity, adding that Jebel Ali Port has played a central role in regional and global supply chains for nearly five decades.

Sheikh Hamdan also reiterated Dubai’s focus on expanding multimodal connectivity and investing in resilient infrastructure to improve supply chain efficiency. Jebel Ali Port currently serves as a logistics, manufacturing, and distribution hub, connecting around 12,000 companies to global markets.

During the tour, Sheikh Hamdan visited the Jebel Ali Rail Terminal, which operates up to eight daily services, as well as BOXBAY, an automated high-bay storage system, and the Terminal 2 Operations Centre.

The facilities reflect DP World’s ongoing investments in infrastructure, automation, and trade connectivity.

Essa Kazim, Chairman of DP World, said the trade and industrial ecosystem surrounding Jebel Ali Port has helped establish it as the region’s most trusted trade gateway over the past 50 years.

Officials also briefed Sheikh Hamdan on the Jebel Ali Rail Terminal, which connects the port to the UAE’s national rail network. The terminal currently has an annual capacity of 800,000 TEUs, with plans to expand to 1.6 million TEUs in line with market demand.

Sheikh Hamdan also toured BOXBAY, which DP World describes as the world’s first deep-water automated high-bay container storage system designed to increase port capacity without expanding the site footprint.

According to DP World, the infrastructure and digital systems introduced at the port are aimed at reducing turnaround times and supporting sustainable growth. The company operates across six continents with more than 125,000 employees and a maritime fleet of over 500 vessels.

Jebel Ali Port remains the largest port in the Middle East and the anchor of Jebel Ali Free Zone, which supports sectors ranging from healthcare to automotive manufacturing.