Dubai Maritime City inaugurates Dhs160 million business centre

DUBAI: Dubai Maritime City (DMC), one of DP World’s flagship developments, on Friday inaugurated its new Maritime Business Centre 2 (MBC-2), an Dhs160 million premium commercial tower that expands Grade A office capacity within Dubai’s maritime and trade ecosystem.

Located in the Commercial District in Dubai Maritime City, the new tower was delivered in 20 months with 78 per cent of the space leased before opening, reflecting strong demand for high-quality commercial space in well-connected business districts across Dubai.

The Maritime Business Centre introduces a distinctive commercial offering including 125 exclusive premium office units (ranging from 40 to 980 m²) with waterfront views. The development offers two office categories: fully fitted plug-and-play offices enabling immediate operational readiness and shell-and-core offices that provide tenants with the flexibility to customise their workspace based on operational and branding needs.

The tower also includes a wellness floor with a gym, recreational areas, retail outlets, F&B spaces and 480 parking bays, including dedicated spaces for electric and hybrid vehicles and People of Determination as well as smart building systems designed to reduce energy consumption.

Dubai Maritime City’s headquarters, along with Jafza’s licensing department, have officially relocated to Maritime Business Centre 2.

Ahmed Al Hammadi, COO of Dubai Maritime City, said, "The strong pre-leasing demand for Maritime Business Centre 2 reflects continued confidence in Dubai Maritime City as a strategic destination for maritime and trade-related businesses. As DP World expands into integrated urban and economic zones, projects like this show how we are creating high-quality spaces around our core infrastructure.”

The opening was attended by Abdulla Bin Damithan, Chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation; Abdulla Al Hashmi, Global Chief Operating Officer, Parks and Economic Zones of DP World; Ahmed Alhammadi, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Maritime City; Eng Abdulla Belhoul, CEO of Trakhees and other senior DP World management.

In 2025, Dubai has reinforced its status as a leading global maritime hub, earning the title of “the crown jewel of the Middle East’s maritime sector,” according to the 2025 International Shipping Centre Development Index report, issued by Xinhua News Agency in collaboration with the Baltic Exchange. The report ranks Dubai among the top five global shipping centres and first in the Arab region.

The report highlights Dubai’s comprehensive maritime ecosystem, offering navigation services, shipbuilding and repair, and capacity to handle the increasing number of vessels. It also emphasised the Dubai Maritime Transport Plan 2030, aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to expand maritime transport usage, enhance the network of marine transportation, and develop Dubai Maritime City.

The report specifically praised Jebel Ali Port for its strategic role as a regional shipping hub, underpinned by continuous investment in infrastructure and services. In 2024, the port handled 15.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), the highest since 2015, accounting for 18% of the total 88.3 million TEUs managed by DP World, the port operator.

On sustainability, the report highlighted Jebel Ali Port’s initiatives to reduce emissions, including the provision of biofuel for ships, installation of 50,000 m² of solar panels for renewable energy, and the use of electric vehicles for container handling—contributing to an annual reduction of 2,000 tons of CO₂ emissions.

Dubai Ports Authority is committed to proactive measures to enhance the maritime sector’s contribution to the strategic objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, through its three ports—Jebel Ali, Port Rashid, and Hamriyah—despite global economic challenges and market fluctuations. We are dedicated to preserving the emirate’s marine environment and ensuring the highest operational safety standards in the maritime sector.”

WAM