Dubai breaks ground on mega $150m Agri Terminals facility

In a move bolstering the UAE’s food security efforts, DP World recently celebrated the groundbreaking of its new Agri Terminals facility at Jebel Ali Port.

This $150m project, in collaboration with Adroit Overseas Canada and Al Amir Foods, aims to become Dubai’s largest multi-tenant facility for integrated agricultural processing and silo storage.

This project aligns with the UAE’s vision to ensure a stable and sustainable food supply chain. Jebel Ali Port already handles 73 per cent of the country’s food and beverage trade, and the Agri Terminals facility is expected to significantly enhance this capacity.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, group chairman and CEO, DP World, said this was a landmark moment for building resilience into the food supply chain. “As we expand our F&B infrastructure, we are building the foundation for a future where food security and global trade converge. By integrating this terminal with existing sugar processing and edible oil facilities, we are creating a comprehensive food and beverage ecosystem that optimises resources, diversify our offerings, and shows our unwavering commitment to the UAE’s vision in addressing global food security challenges.”

The Agri Terminals facility is expected to create new trade opportunities, boost Dubai’s food security efforts, and contribute to global food trade.

The facility has a quayside area of nearly 100,000 square metres. It will feature an advanced conveyor belt system for seamless ship-to-facility transfer and will include processing and packaging facilities to handle 500,000 metric tonnes annually.

Agri Terminals: Key highlights at a glance

• Investment: Dhs550m
• Completion: Phase 1 in early 2025
• Focus: Pulses, grains, corn, soybeans
• Storage capacity: 200,000 metric tonnes (Phase 1), expandable to 500,000 annually
• Impact: Estimated Dhs1.2bn in new international trade, 750,000 metric tonnes increase in bulk handling
• Significance: Aligns with UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051 and ‘Operation 300 Billion’ strategy

In other news, Unifeeder Group, a multi-regional feeder and container operator and part of DP World Marine Services, has launched a new direct service connecting four Colombian ports with Panama’s Manzanillo terminal.

The service, exclusively managed by Unifeeder, offers comprehensive coverage between Turbo, Santa Marta, Cartagena, Barranquilla in Colombia and Manzanillo, Panama.

Read: DP World Marine Services launches new Colombia-Panama route