DUBAI MARITIME CITY SIGNS 18 NEW LEASES AS MANUFACTURING DEMAND GROWS
New businesses join the Industrial District as leasing revenue rises six-fold year-on-year
Dubai Maritime City (DMC) has signed 18 new leases in the first nine months of 2026, covering over 572,000 sq. ft of industrial and commercial space and generating six times more revenue than the same period last year.
The new leases reflect continued confidence in Dubai as a long-term base for regional and international markets, with 72% of the leases signed post February during a period of heightened regional uncertainty. Ship repair and marine manufacturing have emerged as the fastest-growing segments at DMC.
“Businesses make long-term decisions about where to locate based on the strength, connectivity and reliability of the ecosystem around them. Companies are choosing to build their facilities here, take on long-term commitments and invest in equipment and infrastructure, which tells us Dubai gives them the certainty they need to plan ahead. For shipowners and operators, that translates into deeper repair capacity, shorter turnaround times and more of the services they need in one place.”
Businesses at DMC lease under one of two structures: a one-year agreement renewable annually or a 25-year Musataha agreement, under which they can develop their own ship repair or shipbuilding workshop on the site. Companies taking prebuilt units this year are already operational, while plots secured under Musataha agreements are in the construction phase. Earlier this year, DMC also launched its second Maritime Business Centre, an AED 160 million premium commercial tower that expands Grade A office capacity within Dubai’s maritime and trade ecosystem
Dubai ranks 1st in the Arab world and 11th globally in the Leading Maritime Cities (LMC) Report by DNV and Menon Economics. With continued demand for industrial and commercial space and more growth expected through the remainder of 2026, DMC is positioned to further strengthen Dubai’s place as a leading global maritime hub.