Dubai Plans Gulf of Oman Port to Bypass Strait of Hormuz

The UAE has plans to develop a new port on its eastern coast, on the Gulf of Oman, so that oil and cargo can move without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Independent and NDTV reported the plans in mid-July, connecting them directly to Iranian threats and attacks that have disrupted transit through the strait.

The new facility would give UAE-linked shipping an outlet on the open ocean side. Ships currently leaving or entering the Persian Gulf must pass through Hormuz, a narrow passage where commercial ships have come under attack since early July. An east-coast port would cut that dependency.

Details are thin. Neither report named a specific location on the UAE's eastern coastline, nor a cost or construction date. Both described the project as in the planning stage. Officials have not issued public statements.

Hormuz traffic has fallen sharply over the past two weeks. US and Iranian forces have traded strikes in and around the strait since July 7, and many operators have rerouted or paused voyages rather than risk a transit. The drop in traffic has pushed operators and port authorities to look for workarounds, of which the UAE east-coast plan is one.