Dubai ranked fifth in the world in the maritime shipping centers index

Dubai has maintained its international leadership among the top five countries in the world in the “International Shipping Centre Development Index” for the year 2024, as Dubai was among the leading centres in the shipping and logistics sector, according to the report recently issued by the Baltic Exchange for trade and shipping, and the Xinhua Agency, affiliated with the China Economic Information Service.

The organization ranked Dubai fifth among the 20 most powerful international centers for maritime commercial shipping, for the fifth year in a row, uniquely being the only Arab maritime city on the list, while Singapore, London, Shanghai and Hong Kong came in the first four places on the index.

The organization’s report on the emirate’s assessment, entitled “Dubai Consolidates Its Position as a Leading Maritime Power in the Middle East,” confirmed that the year 2023 witnessed Dubai’s rise to a prominent position in the maritime sector at the same time as it enthusiastically seeks to achieve further growth in the future, noting that the Dubai Maritime Authority issued Instructions (No. 1) of 2023 regarding the transparency of local fees for marine containers in the Emirate of Dubai, according to which all service providers must disclose to the Dubai Maritime Authority their local fees for marine containers through the unified window of the Dubai Trade Portal.

The report stated that after hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference “COP28”, Dubai began strengthening its maritime position during 2023, as the emirate provided a prominent platform for major international maritime companies and organizations to announce innovative partnership and carbon removal initiatives during this global summit.

Chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, Sultan bin Sulayem, expressed his happiness with the results of the 2024 report, which confirms Dubai’s position as a strong maritime competitor on the global maritime map, stressing that the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation is committed to taking proactive steps to enhance the maritime sector’s contribution to achieving the strategic objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda “D33” for the next 10 years, despite the economic challenges and market fluctuations worldwide.

He said that Dubai’s leading position as the only Arab city on the list of 20 international maritime shipping centres is conclusive evidence of the emirate’s continued growth, while enhancing its pivotal role among the most important and influential maritime capitals in the coming years.

For his part, Sheikh Dr. Saeed bin Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Dubai Maritime Authority, stressed that the maritime sector plays a vital role in the business environment in Dubai and constitutes an essential part of the emirate’s economy.

He said: “The Dubai Maritime Authority is working to enhance Dubai’s position as a global maritime centre through innovation, sustainability, and investment, in addition to the future trends of the maritime industry in the Middle East, by expanding the scope of commercial operations and developing infrastructure.”

Regarding Dubai’s maintaining its position in the fifth place globally for the fifth consecutive year, Sheikh Dr. Saeed bin Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum stressed that this is a new international testimony to the pioneering position of the city of Dubai and the distinguished maritime business environment in the UAE, which is heading towards further enhancement and empowerment with the application of the best global practices for the maritime and navigation sector.

The report issued by the organization stated that in addition to Dubai’s leadership in the field of environmental sustainability, the emirate has risen to the top of the global logistics scene in the period (2023-2024), thanks to its continuous efforts in decarbonization and developing environmentally friendly marine ecosystems, as well as seamlessly integrating sea, land and air shipping capabilities.

The International Shipping Centre Development Index report, which is issued annually, is based on a methodology based on assessing the competitiveness of attracting maritime business, determining the extent of development in maritime centres around the world, as well as the overall impact and pivotal role in driving the growth of the global shipping sector.

• Commending the Dubai Maritime Authority’s decision to disclose local container fees to enhance fair competition and transparency.