(Credit - WAM)
Dubai ranked 12th among the world’s leading maritime cities in the 2026 Leading Maritime Cities report by DNV and Menon Economics, and it retained its position as the Middle East’s leading maritime city. The report shortlisted 50 cities and drew on the views of more than 200 senior maritime experts.
Abdulla bin Damithan, Chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), said the ranking reflects the leadership’s long-term commitment to building “a world-class maritime sector”. He said the regional shipping challenges showed the strength of Dubai’s maritime infrastructure, and that international maritime companies see Dubai as a “preferred base for their regional operations”.
Dubai’s results across the report’s indicators:
| Indicator | Dubai’s result |
|---|---|
| Overall ranking | 12th |
| Attractiveness and Competitiveness | 6th, up from 15th in 2024 |
| Maritime resilience (new in 2026) | 5th |
| Human capital | 2nd |
| Entrepreneurship | Shared first place with Abu Dhabi |
| Most attractive city for relocating maritime headquarters | 2nd |
| Cities expected to lead the sector over the next five years | 3rd |
Abu Dhabi ranked 15th overall, up from 22nd in 2024, and placed in the top 15 for Maritime Finance and Law. Singapore remains the world’s leading maritime city.
Ahmad Yousef Al Hassan, CEO and Managing Director of DP World GCC, said the company moved nearly one million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) across the region during the year using alternative shipping routes and its multimodal transport network. DP World is investing in additional terminal capacity in Fujairah.
