Maritime companies — ship owners, freight forwarders, shipping agencies, and marine equipment suppliers — need UAE free zones with direct port access, maritime licences, and connections to ship registry authorities.
JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone)
JAFZA is the undisputed leader for maritime and shipping companies in the UAE. Located adjacent to Jebel Ali Port — the largest port in the Middle East and ninth-largest globally — JAFZA provides unparalleled logistics infrastructure. Shipping agents, freight forwarders, NVOCC operators, and maritime service companies all cluster in JAFZA. Licence costs: AED 20,000–60,000/year depending on activity and office size. JAFZA clients have direct access to DP World’s customs and port operations, simplifying the customs clearance process.
Dubai Maritime City (DMCA)
DMCA is a specialist maritime free zone in Dubai Creek Harbour, purpose-built for the maritime industry. It offers licences for ship repair, ship management, maritime legal services, maritime trading, and offshore vessel operations. DMCA has a dedicated dry dock and ship repair facility — one of the few in the UAE. Licence costs: AED 15,000–40,000/year. DMCA is the required free zone for companies seeking UAE Ship Registry membership and provides direct liaison with the UAE National Transport Authority maritime division.
Hamriyah Free Zone (Sharjah)
Hamriyah Free Zone in Sharjah offers competitive maritime licences at lower costs than JAFZA, with direct access to Hamriyah Port. It is preferred by ship repair companies, marine equipment suppliers, and offshore support vessel operators. Costs: AED 8,000–20,000/year. Hamriyah provides large land plots suitable for shipbuilding and repair yards.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAFZA | FZCo registration and service licence components | AED 40,000-55,000 planning range (licence component priced separately; mandatory physical facility lease AED 25,000-40,000 + establishment card AED 1,975 + 1 visa AED 3,518 + medical/Emirates ID) Confidence: Verified official price |
AED 5,000 annual service licence renewal component before facility and add-ons Confidence: Verified official price |
AED 20,000 3-year registration plus service licence components before facility and add-ons Confidence: Verified official price |
Visa access depends on the selected facility; immigration fees are separate | A workstation, office, warehouse, showroom or other qualifying facility is required and priced separately | Verified official price | Official JAFZA Investor Guide fee schedule; partial setup components | No material public conflict recorded | July 2026 |
| What is included | The current official guide lists AED 5,000 one-time FZCo registration and AED 5,000 annual service licence fees. The three-year component total is the registration fee plus three published annual licence periods. |
|---|---|
| What is not included | Workstation, office, warehouse or other facility, security deposit, establishment card, visas, medical, Emirates ID, insurance, customs, activity approvals and advisory support. |
| Hidden-cost risk | AED 10,000 is not a complete JAFZA setup invoice. Facility choice and annual related charges materially change Year 1, renewal and three-year outlay; trading, logistics and industrial licences also use different official fee lines. |
| Banking difficulty | Medium to high |
| Best fit | Large trading, logistics, warehouse, import/export and industrial companies needing port access. |
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 July 2026. Always request a current quote before payment. View methodology or compare all rows in the UAE Free Zone Cost Index.