Hamriyah Free Zone — Industrial and Manufacturing Hub Guide 2026
Hamriyah Free Zone (HFZA) in Sharjah is UAE’s premier industrial and heavy manufacturing free zone. Hamriyah Port provides direct sea access for large industrial cargo. This guide covers Hamriyah Free Zone for industrial and manufacturing businesses in 2026.
Hamriyah Free Zone Overview
- Location: Hamriyah, Sharjah; northern coast of UAE; Hamriyah Port on the Arabian Gulf
- Established: 1995; one of UAE’s oldest industrial free zones
- Regulator: Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA)
- Focus: oil and gas services; steel and metal fabrication; shipbuilding and repair; food manufacturing; chemicals and petrochemicals; building materials manufacturing
- Scale: 300+ companies; significant industrial park with large land plots available
Why Hamriyah for Heavy Industry?
- Large land plots: Hamriyah offers land for lease by the plot (up to 50,000+ sqm); ideal for heavy manufacturing requiring significant footprint
- Port access: direct port connectivity; heavy cargo loaded/unloaded directly at Hamriyah Port; no road transport bottlenecks
- Shipyard: dedicated shipyard facilities; dry docks; ship repair; marine engineering
- Oil and gas services: proximity to UAE oil fields (offshore and onshore); ADNOC and Sharjah National Oil Company (SNOC) supply chain companies based here
- Lower cost than Dubai industrial: Hamriyah industrial land 30-50% cheaper than Dubai Industrial Area equivalent; significant saving for space-intensive operations
Hamriyah Licence and Costs
- Industrial company: AED 15,000-25,000/year; includes manufacturing activities
- Trading company: AED 12,000-18,000/year; commodities and bulk trading
- Land lease: AED 25-60 per sqm/year depending on location and size; long-term leases (10-25 years) available for major industrial investments
- Warehouse: AED 10-20 per sqft/year for standard warehouse units
Hamriyah vs RAKEZ for Manufacturing
- Hamriyah: better for sea-oriented heavy industry; oil and gas; shipbuilding; large chemical plants; Hamriyah Port for bulk cargo
- RAKEZ: better for light-to-medium manufacturing; better banking relationships; Ras Al Khaimah location (closer to RAK government procurement)
- Location: both are Northern Emirates; similar distance from Dubai (60-90 minutes); both significantly cheaper than Dubai manufacturing sites
Pricing Evidence & Source Notes
Use this profile as a planning guide, not a final invoice. Confirm the current package, activity wording, visas, office or flexi-desk requirement and renewal amount before payment.
| Free Zone | Package | Year 1 Cost | Renewal Cost | 3-Year Total | Visa Option | Office / Flexi Requirement | Year 1 Confidence | Source Type | Conflict Status | Last Reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamriyah Free Zone | Basic licence public component | AED 15,000-25,000 (licence from AED 8,000-15,000 + 1 visa AED 4,500 all-in; HFZA does not publish a single public price table) Confidence: High-confidence public consensus |
Quote-based renewal Confidence: Needs confirmation |
Quote-based 3-year total Confidence: Needs confirmation |
Depends on facility | Warehouse, land, office or industrial facility | High-confidence public consensus | Public consultant sources; official FAQ may block automated fetches | Current package / renewal confirmation required | June 2026 |
| What is included | Public consultant sources consistently list an AED 11,000 starting licence component; final facility and authority quote must be confirmed. |
|---|---|
| What is not included | Facility, visas, utility costs, deposits and industrial approvals unless quoted. |
| Hidden-cost risk | Industrial approvals and facility needs can alter totals. |
| Banking difficulty | Medium |
| Best fit | Industrial, manufacturing, trading and warehouse-led companies in Sharjah. |
Source evidence: Review source | Methodology | Corrections.
Prices can change based on free zone authority updates, activity selection, visa count, office or flexi-desk requirement, shareholder structure, establishment card, immigration file, medical test, Emirates ID, insurance, banking support and consultant service fees. Last reviewed June 2026. Always request a current quote before payment. View methodology or compare all rows in the UAE Free Zone Cost Index.