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DP World says Strait of Hormuz 'will reopen', stays flexible as it keeps cargo moving
The company’s diverse global network has allowed it to manage assets effectively and mitigate the impact of disruption around Hormuz
- PUBLISHED: Wed 16 Sept 2026, 5:00 PM UPDATED: Thu 17 Sept 2026, 11:00 PM
DP World is confident that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen eventually, but in the meantime the shipping and logistics giant is leaning on its operational flexibility to keep cargoes moving, its global head of Economic Zones said on Wednesday.
"The Strait will reopen," Abdulla Al Hashmi said at a closed-door briefing at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai. "When, I don't know. In what shape or format, I don't know."
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Hormuz leads into the Arabian Gulf, creating a "natural water path that leads cargo to where it's supposed to be," Al Hashmi said.
"There is a population that is in excess of 100 million people, to the best of my estimates, that live up the Strait," Al Hashmi said. "The Strait has to open for things to go back to normal. We are right now in a much more resilient position here in the UAE, given the geography that we enjoy."
Last month, DP World reported that revenue rose 13.1 per cent in the first half of 2026, compared with the year-ago period, reaching $12.7 billion.
Flexibility lets DP World 'mitigate the situation'
Excluding Jebel Ali, where vessel traffic has taken a sharp downward turn since conflict flared in Hormuz, DP World handled 6.5 per cent more containers than it did in the same period last year.
"We are blessed at DP World because we have a very diverse profile of assets that are spread out across the globe," he said. "And we have been able to effectively manage our assets around the globe to mitigate the situation."
DP World has so far this year moved more than 500,000 containers of cargo overland from the country's east coast to the UAE's Gulf coast, which is home to the country's biggest cities including Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The company plans new terminals at Ruqaylat and Dibba on the UAE's east coast in order to provide more routes to its flagship hub at Jebel Ali, which is on the Gulf.
Aside from the Jebel Ali Free Zone, DP World operates economic zones on multiple continents.
"Economic zones are extremely crucial to the ecosystem of DP World," Al Hashmi said. "We're not just a port operator. We're [also] an economic zone, a developer and a manager. We are a maritime company, and we are a logistics company as well."
DP World is developing two new terminals in Fujairah. Group Chairman Essa Kazim said last month that the new terminals will give cargo owners more flexibility and reinforce the UAE's position as a critical trade and logistics hub.
This article has been updated to correct a mistake regarding DP World's economic zones. An earlier version misidentified an economic zone's geographical location.
Ted Kemp is the Chief Content Officer at Khaleej Times and an international contributor, editor, and media executive with more than 25 years of experience in global news and content strategy.