The full extent of the challenges facing the international moving industry in the Middle East was revealed this month, as new data showed Dubai’s Jebel Ali port collapsing from 10th to 32nd in global container rankings in just six months amid the war with Iran and the ongoing disruption to the Strait of Hormuz.
A new analysis from Alphaliner shows throughput at Jebel Ali dropped more than 90% year-over-year in the second quarter, to just 374,000 teu. Combined with a 23% decline in the first quarter, the port handled only 3.14 million teu in the first half of 2026, less than half the 7.77 million teu recorded over the same period last year. Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Port fared similarly, with volumes down at least 50%, dropping it out of the global top 50 after ranking 32nd a year ago.
The UAE has responded by fast-tracking overland alternatives to Hormuz. DP World has moved 500,000 teu through GCC road and rail corridors since March, now supporting roughly 3,000 truck movements a day, and has established bonded routes linking Fujairah and Khorfakkan on the Gulf of Oman with Jebel Ali. In July, DP World signed a 50-year deal to develop two east coast terminals, including Al Rugaylat in Fujairah, which will eventually offer 2.5 million teu of annual capacity, giving ships a route to a UAE gateway that bypasses the strait entirely.
Elsewhere in Alphaliner’s half-year rankings, China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan overtook Singapore for the first time over a six-month period, handling 22.9 million teu against Singapore’s 22.7 million, while Shanghai held onto first place.
IAM Member Impact: Members with UAE operations or Gulf shipping exposure should factor continued volatility into routing and lead-time planning, and monitor DP World’s Fujairah/Khorfakkan corridors as an emerging alternative for shipments needing to avoid Hormuz-linked delays and rate spikes.
Source: Splash247