DP World’s new container vessel lands in Jebel Ali

Dubai: DP World, on Friday, announced the arrival of its newest marine services vessel, the DP World Jebel Ali, which made its inaugural call at its namesake Jebel Ali Port today.

The DP World Jebel Ali is a modern Sapphire 5300 compact gearless container vessel incorporating advanced maritime technologies. These technologies are designed to enhance the efficiency of cargo handling operations, reduce operational expenses, and contribute to a more sustainable maritime industry.

A special reception was held at Jebel Ali Port to commemorate the vessel’s maiden call, attended by DP World and Unifeeder senior management, highlighting the port’s crucial role in global supply chains. The DP World Jebel Ali will be integrated into Unifeeder’s Asian Gulf ISC Service (AGI), DP World said in a statement.

Ganesh Raj, Global Chief Operating Officer of Marine Services, said: “The addition of the DP World Jebel Ali to our fleet strengthens our commitment to providing agile, efficient services that deliver value to our customers. This state-of-the-art vessel will help reduce our environmental impact while enhancing our network, which is critical in regional and global supply chains.”

The vessel’s compact design provides improved manoeuvrability and access to smaller ports, including inland terminals, paving the way for expanding supply chain networks. Notably, the ship is projected to save approximately 1,700 metric tonnes of bunker fuel each year, resulting in a 15 to 20 per cent reduction in carbon emissions for its planned routes.

In February, DP World said it had delivered another standout year for trade, recording its highest container and breakbulk cargo volumes at Jebel Ali Port since 2015.

The port handled 15.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2024, up 1 million in the previous year. The figure represents nearly 18 per cent of DP World’s total global container throughput of 88.3 million TEUs for the year.

Breakbulk cargo also saw significant growth, surging by 23 per cent year-on-year to reach 5.4 million metric tonnes (MTs) - the second-highest performance in nearly a decade.