The United Arab Emirates plans to build new ports and oil hubs in the Gulf of Oman to circumvent a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
According to the report, the UAE intends to construct a new port and container terminal on the opposite side of the Strait of Hormuz to avoid a blockade of the waterway by Iran. The new port will be situated in the city of Fujairah, located in the Gulf of Oman. While Fujairah already has an existing harbor, it currently lacks the infrastructure needed to serve as the UAE’s primary export hub.
Strategic infrastructure development
The initiative will be spearheaded by DP World, the UAE’s main port authority. It also aims to reduce Dubai‘s reliance on its primary hub, Jebel Ali, located in the Persian Gulf. According to the Emirati publication Arabian Business, the UAE also plans to enhance infrastructure at other ports in the Gulf of Oman, with a focus on Dibba, Khor Fakkan, and the aforementioned Fujairah.
This move comes amid ongoing tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which have complicated navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Attacks on ships, the presence of sea mines, and hostilities in the region have nearly halted transit through the waterway.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
