Seaports have been a major development priority in the UAE since all Emirates and major cities and towns are located on the coastline. The UAE is also home to a large regional re-export and redistribution trade which extends to beyond the countries around the Gulf to East Africa and the Indian subcontinent. From 1988 to 1996, the traffic at the UAE ports increased at an annual average of 8%. During this period, the number of docking ships has almost doubled at most major ports.
Dubai dominates the shipping activities in the country. It has the largest shipping capacity with 103 berths (61.3%), headed by Port Rashid which is the leading port of the Gulf region, even though its Jebel Ali Port is larger.
