Abu Dhabi to begin work on 2031 maritime plan from 2027, eyes top-20 ranking

Abu Dhabi-Abu Dhabi will begin work on its 2031 Maritime Plan from 2027, officials said at LIVEX 2026, as the emirate, which rose to number 22 in maritime city rankings in 2024, sets its sights on a top-20 finish in the next ranking cycle.

The emirate has risen significantly in maritime city rankings, reaching number 22 in 2024, and officials discussed a new strategy for 2031 at LIVEX 2026, setting their sights on a top-20 finish in the next ranking cycle.

Captain Saif Al Mheiri, CEO of Abu Dhabi Maritime and Chief Sustainability Officer at AD Ports Group, outlined the plan during a panel on turning environmental ambition into practical, scalable solutions.

Al Mheiri briefed about the maritime sector contributing around AED 29 billion to the UAE's economy, which is equal to about 4.6 per cent of non-oil GDP and 3.7 per cent of overall GDP. Roughly 1,400 companies operate in the industry.

The 2031 Maritime Plan

Abu Dhabi began setting strategies in 2020 to improve its global standing, measured by the Leading Maritime Cities of the World ranking. The city did not appear in the report at all when it began publishing in 2015.

However, it debuted in 2022 at No. 33, then followed a structured action plan covering logistics, technology, livability and competitiveness. In 2024, it jumped to No. 22, the highest position in its history. Al Mheiri said the goal for the current cycle is a top-20 place.

To sustain that momentum, the emirate has prepared the 2031 Maritime Plan, built around 10 strategic value pools spanning tourism, industry, shipbuilding, connectivity, public transport and other maritime activities.

The plan sets 18 objectives, 49 measurable KPIs and 96 initiatives, with a heavy focus on lifting the sector and improving lifestyle and connectivity for residents and visitors.

A hub built on collaboration

Among the initiatives is Maritime Hub Abu Dhabi, established after benchmarking against the Singapore Maritime Foundation and the Maritime Cluster of France. The hub brings companies from the same industries together in private-sector working groups to discuss common challenges rather than competitive or proprietary matters.

Abu Dhabi has also established a maritime sustainability effort and recently published a first-of-its-kind guidebook for maritime businesses.

The guide explains why to invest in Abu Dhabi, which major players have already moved in, and how to enter the market. The emirate is targeting more than 100,000 global maritime businesses.

Al Mheiri also addressed the sector's climate challenge. Maritime transport accounts for about 3 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and roughly 90 per cent of ships still use conventional fuel.