UAE plans to build new ports, oil hubs in Gulf of Oman to bypass Strait of Hormuz closure - report

The United Arab Emirates is reportedly planning a significant infrastructure project to build a new port and container terminal in Fujairah, located on the Gulf of Oman. This strategic move aims to create an alternative route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, a vital but increasingly volatile maritime chokepoint.

The initiative will be spearheaded by DP World, the UAE's primary port authority. The project intends not only to establish Fujairah as a major export hub, addressing its current lack of necessary infrastructure, but also to lessen Dubai's dependence on its existing flagship Jebel Ali hub. Plans also include enhancing infrastructure at other ports along the Gulf of Oman, specifically Dibba and Khor Fakkan.

This development comes amid heightened tensions and conflicts involving Iran, the US, and Israel, which have led to attacks on ships and mining activities, severely disrupting transit through the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE's decision aligns with long-term solutions previously proposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He suggested rerouting energy pipelines westward across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea and Mediterranean as a permanent fix to the crisis in the Strait.

Such a project could potentially integrate with the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) initiative, transforming ports like Haifa in Israel into key oil and gas export centers. IMEC, launched in September 2023, aims to connect India with Europe via the Persian Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean, representing a broader vision for regional trade and infrastructure development.

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Long-term solutions include rerouting energy pipelines westward, across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea and Mediterranean, bypassing Iran's geographic choke point.