Jebel Ali Port guide for shippersJebel Ali Port, explained for shippers.
Jebel Ali Port is Dubai's main container port, run by DP World on the coast south-west of the city, with the UN/LOCODE AEJEA. This guide from Airlift Logistics, a Dubai freight forwarder, explains its terminals, codes and customs status, and how to move FCL, LCL, project and reefer cargo through it to Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), the mainland and the wider Gulf.
Jebel Ali Port in numbers
The largest port in the Middle East by container volume, and the main sea gateway for UAE imports and re-exports.
- Operator
- DP World
- UN/LOCODE
- AEJEA
- Opened
- 1979
- Container terminals
- Four, Terminal 1 to Terminal 4
- Container capacity
- About 19.4 million TEU a year (2025)
- Containers handled
- About 15.5 million TEU in 2024
- Location
- Jebel Ali, about 35 km south-west of central Dubai
- Next to
- Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC)
Using Jebel Ali for your cargo
What a shipper or consignee should know before booking a sailing to or from Jebel Ali.
- 01
Almost all deep-sea container services to Dubai call here. Use the code AEJEA on bookings.
- 02
The shipping line releases import containers against a delivery order once charges are paid.
- 03
Check the terminal
Each line uses a set terminal, which decides gate times and free storage days.
- 04
Cargo for a JAFZA company can move from the port without paying duty.
- 05
Sea-air through DWC
Al Maktoum airport is close by road, which makes sea-air connections practical.
- 06
Watch free days
Storage and container detention charges start after the free days end.
Port customs: where cargo can go
The port is a customs-controlled area. Cargo can stay in bond, move to a free zone or be cleared into the UAE.
| Movement | What happens |
|---|---|
| Into the UAE mainland | Dubai Customs import declaration, 5% duty on most goods and 5% VAT |
| Into JAFZA | Transfer in bond to a JAFZA company; duty is paid only if goods later enter the mainland |
| Re-export or transit | Re-export or transit declaration to another country, often by road to the GCC |
| Transshipment | Containers moved between vessels without entering the UAE market |
Airlift Logistics files the declaration through Dubai Customs and arranges the haulage.
Dubai's cargo gateways side by side
Which gateway fits depends on the mode and the delivery address.
| Gateway | Type | Code | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jebel Ali | Seaport | AEJEA | Containers, project cargo, vehicles |
| Khalifa Port | Seaport, Abu Dhabi | AEKHL | Cargo for Abu Dhabi and KEZAD |
| Dubai International | Airport | DXB | Belly cargo on passenger flights |
| Al Maktoum International | Airport | DWC | Freighters and sea-air |
| Mina Rashid | Cruise port | Not for containers | Cruise ships and yachts |
The UN/LOCODE for Jebel Ali Port is AEJEA. AE stands for the United Arab Emirates and JEA for Jebel Ali. Use it on bookings, bills of lading and manifests. Do not use AEDXB, which is the code for Dubai city and is not a seaport. Most shipping lines show it as Jebel Ali.
- Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi is AEKHL.
- Dubai airport is DXB.
DP World operates Jebel Ali Port. The Dubai-based company runs the four container terminals and also operates Jebel Ali Free Zone next to the port. Shippers do not usually book with DP World directly. They book with a shipping line or a freight forwarder, and the line arranges the terminal call.
- Terminal choice follows the shipping line.
- Dubai Customs controls clearance.
You need a delivery order and a customs clearance. The shipping line issues the delivery order once the bill of lading is released and charges are paid. Your forwarder then files the Dubai Customs declaration, pays duty and books the truck to collect the container from the terminal before free days end.
- Original, telex or seaway release is needed.
- Late collection adds storage charges.
Yes, cargo can move to JAFZA in bond. Because the free zone sits beside the port, containers for a JAFZA licensed company move under a transfer declaration without paying UAE duty. Duty and VAT become due only if the goods later leave JAFZA for the UAE mainland.
- The consignee must be a JAFZA company.
- Re-exports from JAFZA stay duty-free.