DP World: A Home Grown
Success Story

DP World is one of the fastest growing port management firms in the world.

this figure is expected to double to 84 million units. In July 2006, a new umbrella company – Ports & Free Zone World– was set up to manage DP World and associated firms.

DP World’s hallmark is its “integrated port management” model, which brings together container terminals, other cargoes, free zones, infrastructure developments and consultancy services to offer solutions in all aspects of port operations. The model is based on the company’s successful management of Port Rashid and Jebel Ali in the UAE.

DP World’s achievements have been widely recognized. Its port operations in Dubai have been voted “Best Seaport in the Middle East” for 13 consecutive years. And in 2006, the prestigious Lloyd’s List selected DP World as “Port Operator of the Year.”

DP World became a household name in the United States in the spring of 2006. The controversy over that firm’s purchase of a UK ports operator caused a backlash in the U.S. Congress when it was revealed that the deal would give DP World management control over six major U.S. ports. The Dubai-based firm eventually agreed to sell its interests in U.S. ports management to bring an end to the controversy.

DP World operates 42 terminals in 22 nations.

The sale – to AIG Global Investment Group – was completed in March 2007. DP World’s CEO, Mohammed Sharaf, told Gulf News: “We cannot say we are happy to be leaving the U.S. but it is good that we are over this controversy. We will be ready to review opportunities again there if we feel we are welcome.”This setback in the United States in no way dampened DP World’s goal to become the world’s premier port operator.

In fact, even as the U.S. controversy made headlines in 2006, DP World announced plans to develop new port facilities in Djibouti,

India, Korea, Vietnam, China and Peru, adding to the existing facilities under its management in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Australia. Today, DP World, which is wholly-owned by the Government of Dubai, operates 42 terminals in 22 countries, with a workforce of more than 30,000.

DP World was formed in September 2005 with the integration of Dubai Ports Authority (DPA) – the manager of Ports Rashid and Jebel Ali in the UAE – and Dubai Ports International (DPI), the mandate of which was to export Dubai’s success in this field internationally. DPI had successfully managed port operations in Saudi Arabia, India, and Romania.

In January 2005, DPI had acquired CSX World Terminals (CSX WT), the international terminal business of CSX Corporation. This acquisition gave the company a strong presence in Asia with major operations in Hong Kong and China, as well as operations in Australia, Germany, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

Under the new name of DP World, the company has continued its aggressive acquisitions and development program. One of its most exciting development projects is “London Gateway,” a new, state-of-the-art deep-sea container terminal and logistics and business park on the River Thames on a brownfield site near London.

In 2006, DP World managed the throughput of around 42 million container units. By 2016,