UAE Targets Zero Reliance on Strait of Hormuz Through Ports and Pipelines

Key Facts

The UAE is working to reduce its reliance on the Strait of Hormuz to zero, under a plan announced by Foreign Trade Minister Thani Al Zeyoudi in June that includes expanding east coast ports and developing alternative routes for oil exports. Al Zeyoudi said the goal stood "regardless of whether the strait is open or not," signaling an effort to build export capacity that does not depend on passage through it. The plan includes the ports of Dibba, Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, as well as pipelines, road networks and railways linking the ports to oil and gas fields and petroleum facilities. In September, the minister said development of Khor Fakkan and Fujairah, which lie outside the strait, had accelerated, and that the UAE was building a new pipeline to add capacity for Abu Dhabi oil exports via the Gulf of Oman. These steps put east coast ports and transport links at the heart of the UAE's strategy to diversify energy export routes.

The new pipeline to Fujairah is one of the plan's major projects. ADNOC said in May that it was under construction and was expected to begin operations in 2027. The project aims to double crude oil export capacity through Fujairah, The National reported, citing an announcement that construction was being accelerated. The Associated Press estimated in July that the pipeline aims to increase supplies to Fujairah by more than 1.2 million barrels per day once complete. The agency cited Kpler as saying mid-2027 was the most likely completion date. These estimates indicate the scale of the additional capacity expected, while ADNOC's announced operating date remains 2027.

The plan extends beyond a single pipeline, encompassing pipeline, road and rail networks to link east coast ports with production areas and oil and gas facilities. In September, Al Zeyoudi said the UAE had established regional logistics corridors connecting the Arabian Gulf with the Red Sea and the Gulf of Oman. He added that his country was working with Omani authorities to process shipments bound for the UAE through the ports of Sohar and Duqm. In the minister's description, these corridors provide logistics routes to gateways outside the Strait of Hormuz, alongside the expansion of the UAE's eastern ports. Al Zeyoudi did not announce a cost for the projects or a comprehensive timeline for implementing the plan's components.

In September, Al Zeyoudi described the strait as a "red line for the UAE, and it should be so for every country in the Gulf," stressing that his country opposed any one state controlling access to it or imposing fees on shipping. These positions come as concerns grow over renewed tensions with Iran, but warnings about possible escalation do not mean a new UAE announcement was issued on November 2. The Associated Press reported on October 28 that U.S. officials had told Middle Eastern countries and allies to prepare for the possibility of military action against Iran resuming after the U.S. midterm elections, and for a possible Iranian response. The agency cited diplomats as saying the U.S. president had not made a final decision on launching new strikes. It said he had spoken about the possibility of action after the November 3 elections.

The route-diversification plan comes alongside growth in the UAE's non-oil foreign trade, which reached a record 1.94 trillion dirhams, or 528 billion dollars, in the six months ended in June 2026. Non-oil trade rose 13.1% from the same period a year earlier, according to data cited in a report by The National, which quoted the minister. The figure reflects the expansion of commercial activity that the country is seeking to support through multiple ports and logistics corridors. On regional oil capacity, the Associated Press said the combined spare capacity of the Saudi and UAE pipelines was estimated at about 3.5 to 5.5 million barrels per day before the outbreak of the war, and that both pipelines are now operating near full capacity. This underscores the importance of adding new capacity, at a time when the costs of the UAE plan and its full implementation timeline have not been announced.