Dubai · Free zone
Dubai Maritime City
DP World’s maritime zone on a man-made peninsula between Port Rashid and Dubai Drydocks. Its industrial precinct serves ship repair, shipbuilding, yacht manufacturing and marine suppliers, next to a mixed-use commercial district.
- Emirate
- Dubai
- Setup
- Free zone
- Uses
- Maritime, Warehousing
Best for
- Ship repair and marine services that need berths and ship lifts
- Yacht building and refit
- Marine suppliers who want to sit beside their customers
Consider elsewhere if
- Your business is general logistics with no marine link
- You need large general warehouses, as the industrial precinct is laid out for marine trades
Free zone licensing
Business licences here are issued through Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), DP World’s free zone. You get initial approval from the licensing authority, sign a lease with Dubai Maritime City FZE, then complete the licence. As in other free zones, local sales go through a licensed distributor or a mainland company.
Tenure. Ship repair plots are leased long term under a 25-year musataha agreement that can be extended. Land in the commercial district has been sold freehold to developers.
Who locates here
- Ship repair yards
- Yacht builders and refitters
- Marine suppliers and engineering firms
- Shipbuilders
Property
Pre-built warehouses, workshops, showrooms, shops and offices for marine businesses, ship repair plots near dry and wet berths and ship lifts, and staff accommodation.
Formats. Ship repair plots, Warehouse units, Workshops, Showrooms, Offices, Staff accommodation
Dubai Maritime City lists 22 ship repair plots, more than 66 dry and wet berths and warehouses from 510 sq m (Dubai Maritime City website, accessed October 2026).
Our view for tenants
Dubai Maritime City suits marine businesses that need berths, ship lifts and workshops in one place in central Dubai. Licensing runs through Jafza and leasing through Dubai Maritime City, so plan for two steps. It is not a general logistics location.
Our view for investors
Industrial land is leased on 25-year musataha agreements, which limits the hold period unless the term is extended. The commercial district has been sold to residential and office developers, so the peninsula is moving towards mixed use around the industrial precinct. Check how that affects access and permitted uses before investing in industrial buildings here.
Notable
- Grandweld Shipyards. Opened its facility in the industrial precinct in October 2012. en.wikipedia.org
- Maritime Business Centre 2. Office tower in the commercial district, inaugurated May 2026. dubaimaritimecity.com
Other locations in Dubai
- Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza)Free zone · DP World
- Jebel Ali Industrial AreaMainland
- National Industries ParkMainland · DP World
- Dubai South Logistics DistrictFree zone · Dubai South
- Dubai Industrial CityMainland · TECOM Group
- Dubai Investments ParkMainland · Dubai Investments
- Al Quoz Industrial AreaMainland
- Ras Al Khor Industrial AreaMainland
- Al Qusais Industrial AreaMainland
- Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ)Free zone · DAFZ
- Dubai CommerCityFree zone · DAFZ
- Al WarsanMainland
Sources
- Dubai Maritime City: Why be part of Dubai Maritime City
- Dubai Maritime City: Set up a new business
- Dubai Maritime City: Ship repair plots
- Dubai Maritime City: Sale of freehold plots
- Dubai Maritime City news: Industrial district infrastructure (November 2021)
- Dubai Maritime City news: Maritime Business Centre (June 2026)
- Khaleej Times: Dubai Maritime City launches Dh140 million infrastructure project (February 2022)
- Wikipedia: Dubai Maritime City
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Running a business in a free zone
- OpenStreetMap n8143204804 Dubai Maritime City
Reviewed 7 Oct 2026.
Drive times: Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap data (valhalla1.openstreetmap.de), car, free-flowing traffic, computed 7 Oct 2026.