DP World UAE’s petrochem hub claims 60 percent of Dubai’s total trade value in the sector at $5.8bn

The firm showcased its streamlined chemical supply chain solutions and range of logistics offerings during the 13th edition of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Supply Chain Conference.

DP World UAE plays a pivotal role in facilitating the growth of the UAE’s and GGC’s rapidly growing petrochemical sector through its flagship assets in Jebel Ali.

The Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) supports 4,100 port customers and is home to 565 companies from the petrochemicals sector, according to the state-run news agency, Wam.

Alongside this is the Jebel Ali Port, a hub for global petrochemical companies catering to growing markets of the Indian Subcontinent, Africa, and the Middle East.

The petrochemicals sector is an integral pillar of Operation 300bn, the UAE’s Industrial Strategy that aims to increase the GDP from AED 133 billion to AED 300 billion by 2031. 

The chief commercial officer and managing director of DP World – UAE Region and Jafza, Abdulla Bin Damithan, said: “Since 95 percent of all manufactured goods rely on petrochemicals, the sector is essential to the global economy. So, despite the 2020 crisis and the delayed economic recovery, the sector is poised for significant growth in the decades ahead.”

He added that the UAE’s export-orientated industry is already witnessing improvements which will be sustained by new polypropylene capacity, due to a ramp-up in production in 2022. 

“Events like GPCA give us the opportunity to attract local and international companies, accelerating our growth as the preferred petrochemical hub of the region.”

Through its container handling infrastructure, the Jebel Ali Port supports 65 percent of the GCC’s polymer exports and 33 percent of its petrochemicals’ exports. 

The port has two million square metres of dedicated liquid chemical handling capacity comprising 11 berths and over one million cubic metres of liquid bulk storage space.