UAE’s Eastern Ports Become Gulf’s Primary Trade Arteries Amid Hormuz Closure

Since the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates has shifted the bulk of its seaborne commerce to the eastern ports of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan. Both facilities now handle the majority of the UAE’s oil and container traffic that previously moved through western Gulf terminals now stranded by the conflict.

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains FragileUsNews and World ReportSouth China Morning Post

The Iran-U.S.–Israel war has repeatedly disrupted the Hormuz corridor, prompting Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy to map a control zone that includes the UAE’s eastern coastline. A drone strike on the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone on 14 March ignited a fire, injured three workers and underscored the ports’ exposure.

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• Crude exports: Kpler analyst Johannes Rauball reports an average of 1.62 million bpd through Fujairah in late March, up from 1.17 million bpd in February, approaching the pipeline’s upper limit of 1.5–1.8 million bpd.

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains Fragile

• Container traffic: Gulftainer’s chief executive Farid Belbouab says weekly container handling at Khor Fakkan jumped from 2,000 to 50,000. Vessel calls per day have nearly quadrupled.

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains Fragile

• Truck movements: Khor Fakkan now sees roughly 7,000 trucks a day, a rise from 100 pre-war.

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains Fragile

For Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, all of whose maritime links lie behind Hormuz, Khor Fakkan serves as a critical gateway for imports of groceries, medical supplies and other essentials. Saudi Arabia’s dual-coastline and its East-West Pipeline (? 7 million bpd) provide an alternative, but the UAE’s eastern ports remain the only direct sea entry points that avoid lengthy overland routes through Saudi Arabia or Oman.

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains FragileUsNews and World ReportSouth China Morning Post

UAE officials stress the right to free navigation and reserve the right to respond to attacks. Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei reiterated that no nation may disrupt international trade flows. Federal and Fujairah authorities, together with ADNOC and state news agency WAM, have emphasized continued operations despite the March drone strike. Logistics firms such as GEODIS report only congestion, not major disruption.

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Analysts note that the rapid capacity expansion pushes the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline toward its limit, raising concerns about operational safety and long-term sustainability. The vulnerability of a single corridor to drone attacks is cited as a strategic risk for the broader Gulf trade architecture.

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains Fragile

Shipping analyst Rebecca Gerdes observed six container ships berthed at Khor Fakkan and ten awaiting, while Fujairah hosted two vessels with one waiting. Eric Martin-Neuville, GEODIS executive, confirmed that the ports remain the sole direct UAE options for cargo avoiding Saudi-Omani land routes.

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains Fragile

• Crude export figures vary between the reported 1.62 million bpd (Kpler) and the pipeline’s stated capacity range of 1.5–1.8 million bpd.

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains Fragile

• Container volume estimates differ: Gulftainer cites a 25-fold increase, while Kpler notes a four-fold rise in vessel calls. Precise weekly container counts are not independently verified.

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains Fragile

• “No country has the right to disrupt international trade flows or threaten supply routes,” — Suhail Al Mazrouei, Energy Minister, UAE

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• “It has been acting as a critical national gateway,” — Farid Belbouab, CEO, Gulftainer

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• “We were moving 100 trucks a day before the war. So now actually we move about 7,000 trucks a day,” — Farid Belbouab, Gulftainer

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains Fragile

• “These are currently the only direct UAE port options for cargo destined to the UAE to avoid long road transits and border crossings via Saudi Arabia or Oman,” — Eric Martin-Neuville, EVP, GEODIS

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• “I don't have a crystal ball about when the straits will reopen, what will be the impact on the long term,” — Farid Belbouab, Gulftainer

UAE Ports Become Country's Lifeline as Gulf Trade Remains Fragile

Gulftainer plans a $100 million inland dry-port hub in Al Dhaid, 50 km from Khor Fakkan, to expand transshipment capacity. The UAE, alongside Saudi Arabia and Turkey, is also exploring rail-sea corridors linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean, aiming to diversify trade routes beyond the vulnerable Persian Gulf corridors.

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