Jebel Ali has tumbled from 10th to 32nd in the global container port rankings in six months as the war with Iran throttles shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Splash247. The shipping news outlet described the fall as one of the most dramatic collapses ever seen in the global container port rankings.
Throughput collapse at Jebel Ali
New analysis from Alphaliner, cited by Splash247, shows throughput at the Middle East's premier container hub plunged by more than 90% year-on-year during the second quarter to just 374,000 teu. Combined with a 23% decline in the first quarter, Jebel Ali handled only 3.14m teu during the first six months of 2026, less than half the 7.77m teu recorded during the same period last year.
| Metric | H1 2026 | H1 2025 / YoY | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jebel Ali H1 throughput | 3.14m teu | 7.77m teu | -59.6% (less than half) |
| Jebel Ali Q2 throughput | 374,000 teu | — | more than -90% |
| Jebel Ali Q1 change | — | — | -23% |
| Khalifa Port volumes | — | — | at least -50% |
Jebel Ali throughput plunged by more than 90% year-on-year in Q2 to just 374,000 teu.
Regional ports caught in the Hormuz shutdown
Abu Dhabi's Khalifa Port was similarly affected, according to Splash247. Alphaliner estimates volumes there dropped by at least 50%, sending the port out of the global top 50 after it ranked 32nd last year. The extraordinary fall reflects the near shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz from March and its subsequent partial and unstable reopening in June.
DP World's land-bridge pivot
The UAE has responded by rapidly building logistics routes designed to reduce its dependence on Hormuz, Splash247 reported. DP World has moved 500,000 teu through GCC road and rail corridors since March, with its network now supporting around 3,000 truck movements a day. It has established bonded routes linking Fujairah and Khorfakkan on the Gulf of Oman with Jebel Ali, added 700 trucks and opened additional inland container capacity.
In July, DP World went further, signing a 50-year deal to develop two terminals on the UAE's east coast, according to the report. Al Rugaylat in Fujairah will eventually offer 2.5m teu of annual container capacity, giving ships direct access to a UAE gateway without entering the strait. Splash247 also reported how the UAE is developing a second oil pipeline to Fujairah that could double crude export capacity there to 3.6m barrels per day.
Shifting global rankings
The Alphaliner H1 boxport analysis also shows China's Ningbo-Zhoushan, the world's largest overall port, handled 22.9m teu, up 8.8%, overtaking Singapore's 22.7m teu for the first time over a six-month period. Shanghai remains comfortably in gold-medal position; for the first time, however, Ningbo-Zhoushan now occupies silver, leaving Singapore in third.
Watch list
- The partial and unstable reopening of the Strait of Hormuz since June: any renewed closure would further hit Jebel Ali and Khalifa Port.
- Progress on DP World's 50-year concession for Al Rugaylat terminal, which could add 2.5m teu of annual capacity at Fujairah.
- Construction of the UAE's second crude pipeline to Fujairah, potentially doubling export capacity to 3.6m barrels per day.
- Ongoing container shifts through GCC road and rail corridors, with 3,000 truck movements a day already supported by DP World.
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