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

Abu Dhabi has announced it will commence work on its 2031 Maritime Plan from 2027, aiming to move up to the top-20 in global maritime city rankings. The emirate, which climbed to number 22 in 2024, is determined to achieve a top-20 ranking in the next cycle. Abu Dhabi Maritime and Chief Sustainability Officer at AD Ports Group, Captain Saif Al Mheiri, outlined the strategy during a panel discussion at LIVEX 2026.

The plan is built around 10 strategic value pools, including tourism, industry, shipbuilding, connectivity, and public transport, and includes 18 objectives, 49 measurable KPIs, and 96 initiatives. The maritime sector currently contributes around AED 29 billion to the UAE's economy, which is approximately 4.6% of non-oil GDP and 3.7% of overall GDP.

The plan aims to leverage Abu Dhabi's strengths, such as its newly established Maritime Hub Abu Dhabi, which will bring together companies from the same industries in private-sector working groups to discuss common challenges. The emirate is also targeting over 100,000 global maritime businesses and addressing the sector's climate challenge, as maritime transport accounts for about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.