Jebel Ali is the Gulf's largest container port and the region's dominant transhipment and re-export hub, operated by DP World at Dubai. It works 17 m of alongside draft and around 22 million TEU of installed container capacity across four terminals. Cargo discharged here clears under United Arab Emirates rules — 5% customs duty, 5% VAT and 1–3 working days for a complete file. You need the widest choice of direct sailings, same-week departures from almost any origin, or you intend to hold stock in a free zone and re-export it rather than clear it into the local market.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Operator | DP World |
| Container capacity | Around 22 million TEU of installed container capacity across four terminals |
| Alongside draft | 17 m |
| Cargo handled | Containerised general cargo, Re-export and transhipment boxes, Polymers and chemicals, Project and break-bulk cargo |
| Hinterland served | Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates by road, plus onward feeder services to Iraq, Iran, East Africa and the Indian subcontinent |
| Attached facilities | Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) adjoins the terminals, allowing duty-suspended storage, light manufacturing and re-export without paying the 5% GCC tariff |
| Origin | Est. freight (USD) | Transit (days) | Service into this port | Route detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | $1,500 | 12 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Singapore | $2,000 | 12 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| China | $2,200 | 22 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Vietnam | $2,300 | 23 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| South Korea | $2,400 | 24 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Egypt | $1,400 | 6 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Turkey | $1,900 | 14 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Italy | $2,900 | 20 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Netherlands | $3,038 | 29 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Germany | $3,200 | 31 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| USA | $4,200 | 38 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
You need the widest choice of direct sailings, same-week departures from almost any origin, or you intend to hold stock in a free zone and re-export it rather than clear it into the local market.
Inland, Jebel Ali serves Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates by road, plus onward feeder services to Iraq, Iran, East Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) adjoins the terminals, allowing duty-suspended storage, light manufacturing and re-export without paying the 5% GCC tariff.
The lanes with the strongest direct or high-frequency service into Jebel Ali are China, India, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam — those sailings are usually the cheapest and most schedule-reliable way to reach this terminal.
The UAE is the Gulf's re-export hub: cargo landing at Jebel Ali is frequently cleared into a free zone and moved on to Saudi Arabia, East Africa or the wider GCC rather than consumed locally.
Cargo discharged at Jebel Ali clears under United Arab Emirates customs rules — AED is the settlement currency and duty and VAT are assessed on the declared CIF value. Importers routing through Jebel Ali should budget both the ocean freight shown above and destination charges (THC, documentation, delivery order and inland haulage), which the landed cost calculator itemises.
Estimate all-in shipping costs into Jebel Ali.