Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai’s largest free zone, is one of the world’s most modern free zones. Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is the flagship free zone of DP World and is an integral part of DP World, UAE’s integrated business hub. Companies looking for a base in the Middle East region will find Jebel Ali Free Zone as the ideal location. The Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is a community and ecosystem where industries such as logistics, electronics & electrical, automotive, food and agriculture, e-commerce, petrochemicals, and many more thrive. It offers customizable manufac- turing plots, light industrial units (LIUs), warehouses, offices, and ready-to-move-in showrooms. Apart from this, it provides a dedicated area of over 3.4 million square meters to SMEs, multinationals, and businesses.
Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) ‘s proximity to Jebel Ali Port, Al Maktoum International Airport has helped it become an ideal hub for global trade and a well integrated business setup solution provider.
Jebel Ali Port and JAFZA are a winning combination
One of the biggest advantages of Jafza is its proximity to the Jebel Ali Port. It is the largest port between Rotterdam and Singapore, and can handle all types of cargo, including breakbulk, through its 1.4 million square meters general cargo terminal.
- It has a quay length of 5 km with 27 berths, and a 1.2 million sqm GC Yard makes it ideal for efficient export and import of building materials.
- The region’s busiest port offers the construction sector a seamless and transparent supply chain to transport raw materials or the end product.
- It provides construction companies access to over 3.5 billion existing and potential consumers in the MEASA region.
- The port also provides value-added services like assembling, warehousing, transport management, manufacturing, and fabrication facilities.
Jafza is continually attracting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and multinationals owing to facilities that will help set up their base in the free zone and expand the reach of their products in the Middle East and Africa, its senior official says.
The multimodal transportation model at JAFZA
Ebtesam Al Kaabi, head of sales at the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), says that DP World has invested heavily to ensure that sea, land, and air connectivity is offered to customers.
- A logistics corridor connects the Port with Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport.
- A dedicated sea-air customs bonded corridor connects a sea-air box within 45 minutes of discharge. This benefits clients in any industry, including the building materials and construction sector, and helps to reach their customers efficiently.
- Soon-to-be-completed Etihad Rail will have a depot within the Jebel Ali facility and will help connect UAE to the GCC region.
This multimodal transportation model has ensured that the free zone supports 12,300 port customers.
Jebel Ali Port holds the key
Jebel Ali Port’s expansive reach to over 150 ports and 80 weekly services to large high-growth markets help free zone companies meet the growing regional and global demand for construction materials. The port’s growth figures over the last ten years demonstrate its competen- cies. From 2011 to 2021, the port handled combined volumes in containers and breakbulk of up to one billion metric tonnes of iron & steel and construction material.
Competitive ocean freight rates, operational flexibility, landside conversion, land for storage, and logistics facili- ties are some of the key features that have led to the growth of the Jebel Ali Free Zone. The free zone has evolved into a trade catalyst and an intelligent business communi- ty that offers unprecedented growth opportunities and market access.