Ship chandlers in Dubai:
a supply guide to Jebel Ali and Mina Rashid

Dubai's ports at a glance

What the Hormuz disruption changed

From March 2026 the Strait of Hormuz came close to shutting, with only a partial reopening in June. Jebel Ali is inside the Gulf, so it was hit hard:

• Jebel Ali handled 3.14 million TEU in the first half of 2026, against 7.77 million a year earlier. Second-quarter volume fell by more than 90%. It fell from 10th to 32nd in Alphaliner's world container port ranking.
• On 1 March debris from an aerial interception started a fire at one berth. DP World paused operations briefly, and on 4 March said all Jebel Ali terminals were operating normally.
• DP World moved containers by road instead. It set up bonded routes between Jebel Ali and the east-coast ports of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, and added 700 trucks.
• Dubai Customs extended suspended-duty periods for re-export, temporary admission and transit to 180 days in total, for arrangements expiring between 27 February and 31 October 2026.

For chandlers, expect fewer ships at Jebel Ali and more orders for ships on the east coast, outside the strait.

How ship supply works in Dubai

• Alongside at Jebel Ali or Mina Rashid. At Mina Rashid, DP World lists provisions and food supply among the services it offers cruise ships.
• At the Jebel Ali anchorages. DP World runs J-Alpha, J-Bravo and J-Charlie and books anchorage services through its own system. Since 1 June 2025, J-Charlie has also allowed bunkering, including for ships not calling Jebel Ali, with Harbour Master approval.
• Spares through Jafza. Spare parts are often consolidated in the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) and delivered on board. One Jafza forwarder, Militzer & Münch, says it made more than 200 deliveries to ships off UAE ports in 2023, using hired supply boats.

When a ship enters port, the GCC Common Customs Law requires the master to hand in a manifest of the ship's supplies along with the cargo manifest. Your agent will tell you what customs paperwork your delivery needs.

Licensing for ship chandlers in Dubai

Marine activity in Dubai is regulated by the Dubai Maritime Authority (DMA). It was renamed from the Dubai Maritime City Authority by Law No. 3 of 2023 and sits under PCFC. The DMA licenses maritime transport and sets safety rules for vessels. If you run your own supply boat, ask the DMA which permit it needs.

A chandler also needs a trade licence, either from Dubai's mainland authority or from a free zone. Meydan Free Zone, for example, has a Ship Chandlers activity for food provisions and galley stores. It needs DMA pre-approval and does not cover spares. Each licensing authority has its own rules, so check with yours before you start.

VAT on ship supplies in the UAE

Under the UAE VAT Executive Regulation (Article 35), goods supplied in running, repairing or maintaining a commercial ship can be zero-rated if they are fitted to the ship or used up in that work, and so can directly related services. Fuel and other oil and gas products are excluded. Since 15 November 2024 (Cabinet Decision No. 100 of 2024) the ship's main purpose must be carrying goods or passengers. Whether crew provisions fall under this rule is less clear, so agree the VAT treatment of each order with your tax adviser.

Customs and Jafza

• Jafza, next to Jebel Ali Port, is where many spares are consolidated before delivery. Dubai Customs Notice No. 18 of 2026, effective 30 September 2026, lets Jafza and Dubai Logistics City companies export through Jebel Ali Port without a cash or bank guarantee, as long as the goods leave through the same customs office. Proof of exit is now due within 45 days, down from 60.
• Suspended duty. Re-export, temporary admission and transit arrangements expiring from 27 February to 31 October 2026 get 180 days in total (see above).

How to find a ship chandler in Dubai

• UAE National Ship Suppliers Association, the UAE member of ISSA. In October 2026 the ISSA register showed 32 UAE member listings, some of them branches of the same company.
• Your agent, who will know which chandlers deliver at Jebel Ali, Mina Rashid and the anchorages.
• Marketplaces such as ShipServ.

For ship chandlers in Dubai

With fewer ships inside the Gulf in 2026, more Dubai orders are likely to be for ships off Fujairah and Khor Fakkan. That means trucking goods across and meeting tighter customs deadlines.

Chandler keeps each order in one place, from requisition to invoice. AI reads the inquiry. Suppliers price by link. Management approves the quote. The same order then holds the supplier POs, goods received, packing, dispatch with handover photos, returns and the final invoice, in AED, USD or any other currency. See pricing, or book a demo below with one of your own inquiries.

Sources

Checked 20 October 2026.

1. DP World: Jebel Ali volumes and infrastructure (19 Feb 2025)
2. The Maritime Standard: DP World 2025 results (16 Mar 2026)
3. Marine Insight: Jebel Ali falls out of the global top 30 (4 Sep 2026)
4. Gulf News: fire at Jebel Ali caused by debris from aerial interception (1 Mar 2026)
5. Ship & Bunker: Jebel Ali operations resume after temporary halt (Mar 2026)
6. Gulf News: Jebel Ali operations continue (4 Mar 2026)
7. DP World: Mina Rashid
8. GAC Hot Port News: new Jebel Ali anchorage services (J-Alpha, J-Bravo, J-Charlie)
9. Ship & Bunker: bunkering at Jebel Ali J-Charlie anchorage (18 Jul 2025)
10. Dubai Media Office: DMCA renamed Dubai Maritime Authority (22 Feb 2023)
11. Meydan Free Zone: ship chandlers activity
12. UAE FTA: VAT Executive Regulation, Articles 34 and 35
13. FTI Consulting: UAE VAT amendments (29 Nov 2024)
14. KPMG: FTA clarification VATP040, ships used for transport (Mar 2025)
15. Gulf News: Dubai Customs extends duty suspension (24 Sep 2026)
16. Enterprise AM: Dubai free-zone re-export deadlines (6 Oct 2026)
17. GCC Common Customs Law, Article 30
18. Militzer & Münch: Dubai strong in ship supply (22 Feb 2024)
19. ISSA: UAE National Ship Suppliers Association