Trade and logistics

At the heart of historic and future trade pathways 

Dubai has historically been the heart of key trade corridors with Turkey, India, Bangladesh and Africa. A robust India-UAE start-up corridor was established in 2022, further strengthening the business connection between the two countries.

These corridors comprise a significant part of the global primary and secondary asset market. Future plans involve the establishment of more than 400 new trade corridors with cities across Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia, elevating both regional economic activity and Dubai’s business influence and strength. 

Dubai Logistics Corridor

The upcoming Dubai Logistics Corridor will be a major milestone, bridging critical trade zones such as the Jebel Ali Port, the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) and Al Maktoum International Airport. This progressive project is set to maximise the city’s logistical operations and promote greater efficiency in the local and regional transfer of goods. Implementing this route is expected to reduce sea-air transport time to one hour from the current four hours and increase Dubai’s logistics efficiency and goods-transport capability by 400%.

Visionary trade initiatives

Dubai aims to  become a vital link in the modern global trade network by launching the comprehensive, 50-year Silk Road Strategy. Inspired by the historical Silk Road which connected Asia, Europe and Africa, this initiative is designed to boost global collaboration, enhance sea and air freight and enhance logistical capabilities. 

It is a result of the collaborative efforts of Dubai’s airports, seaports, free zones and transportation authorities, spanning nine key initiatives to be achieved through 33 projects. The project will strengthen Dubai’s role as a pivotal commercial hub, attract more foreign investments and enable economic growth and diversification, in line with D33 objectives. 

World Logistics Passport

Under the Silk Road Strategy, Dubai has also created the World Logistics Passport (WLP), the first freight programme in the world that accelerates global trade while forging new opportunities across developing markets. 

It is expected to revolutionise and enable global transactions by dismantling current trade barriers, reducing  international exchange and dealings costs, enhancing global business partnerships, and increasing global import-export efficiency. It covers 40 countries, encapsulating nearly half the global trade system. In 2021, the WLP entered China for the first time, and in 2023, it inked a partnership with Thailand to boost trade across Southeast Asia.