DP World expands overland logistics network amid US-Iran tensions

The Strait of Hormuz is roughly 21 miles wide at its narrowest point. Through that sliver of water passes a significant share of the world’s seaborne oil, and on any given day, thousands of containers ride the same route. DP World, the Dubai-based ports and logistics giant, has decided not to wait around to find out what happens if that corridor closes for good. On July 22, 2026, DP World finalized an in-principle agreement with the Fujairah Ports Authority to build two new deep-water terminals on the UAE’s east coast, strategically positioned outside the Strait of Hormuz altogether. The deal was signed as a 50-year concession, with one terminal at Al Rugaylat targeting annual container capacity of 2.5 million TEUs, and a second facility at Dibba designed to handle 3.6 million tonnes of cargo per year. A geography lesson with a $3 billion price tag Fujairah sits on the Gulf of Oman side of the UAE, which means ships calling there never have to transit the strait at all. Shipping traffic through the Hormuz has remained well below pre-conflict levels, weighed down by security concerns and war-risk insurance premiums that make every voyage through the strait considerably more expensiv...