Dubai Customs swiftly launched the Green Corridor to keep trade flowing through alternative routes and ensure goods continued to reach markets smoothly
- Abdulla bin Damithan: Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation mobilised its capabilities to help businesses strengthen continuity and reinforce investor confidence in Dubai
- Dr. Abdulla Busenad: Strengthening competitiveness and supporting the emirate’s economy are our highest priorities
- Green Corridor ensures smooth trade flows involving more than 203,242 containers and over 3.16 million tonnes of goods worth more than AED 33.9 billion from 188 countries between 1 March and 30 June 2026
- Extended deadlines for suspended duty cases support 6,613 companies and enhance economic performance
The customs facilitation measures and economic solutions introduced by Dubai Customs under the economic support packages approved by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, have provided more than AED 79 million in liquidity to the private sector, helped maintain trade flows worth AED 33.9 billion between 1 March and 30 June 2026, supported business continuity for thousands of companies and strengthened supply chain resilience.
Introduced to strengthen economic resilience and maintain trade continuity amid regional developments, the measures reinforced business confidence, supported the long-term viability of businesses and consolidated Dubai’s position as a global hub for trade and logistics, in line with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.
Proactive response
His Excellency Abdulla bin Damithan, Chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, said: “Guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the emirate has developed the ability to respond quickly to changing circumstances — one of the foundations of its economic strength. As regional developments unfolded, the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation mobilised its capabilities to support businesses with practical solutions that strengthened business continuity and reinforced investor confidence in Dubai’s business environment.
“Supporting the business community in an exceptional environment is a national responsibility that safeguards the emirate’s achievements and strengthens its capacity for sustained growth. We will continue enhancing our services to give businesses greater flexibility, improve trade flows and save customers time and effort. As a key strategic player in the economy, the Corporation will continue strengthening Dubai’s competitiveness, attracting high-quality investment and developing a more efficient, sustainable and future-ready trade ecosystem.”
Investor confidence
His Excellency Dr. Abdulla Busenad, Director General of Dubai Customs, said: “The customs facilitation measures reflect our leadership’s directives and Dubai’s proactive approach to anticipating regional and international developments. Through policies and procedures that support trade continuity and strengthen business resilience, Dubai Customs is enabling the private sector to continue growing with confidence, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The results speak for themselves: between 1 March and 30 June 2026, Dubai Customs attracted more than 4,000 new customers, reinforcing investor confidence and Dubai’s economic competitiveness.”
Tangible impact
The integrated package of facilitation measures implemented by Dubai Customs strengthened business confidence, supported business stability and enhanced the emirate’s readiness to respond to shifts in global trade flows.
Rashid Al-Sharid, Executive Director of the Finance and Administration Division at Dubai Customs, said: “The economic packages were designed to meet the needs of the business community by strengthening business resilience and easing financial and operational pressures, putting the leadership’s directives into action to support the private sector and enhance Dubai’s economic competitiveness. The package included extending deadlines for suspended duty cases, allowing customs duties to be paid in instalments and reducing financial penalties by 80%. Together, these measures helped provide more than AED 79 million in liquidity to 428 companies, helping sustain operations and reinforcing confidence in Dubai’s flexible economic solutions.”
The outcomes of Customs Notice No. (12/2026), extending the deadlines for suspended duty cases, demonstrate the direct economic impact of these facilitation measures. A total of 6,613 companies benefited from a 120-day extension for customs declarations covering import for re-export, temporary admission and all types of transit. The extension gave customers greater flexibility in managing customs obligations, improved cash flow, and supported business continuity, trade flows and supply chains. The measures may be extended under a subsequent Customs Notice, subject to the applicable controls and procedures.
The package also included Customs Notices Nos. (14/2026) and (15/2026), introducing instalment arrangements for customs duties and an 80% reduction in financial penalties. Additional measures extended the transit period from 30 to 90 days, facilitated the entry of consignments through the ports of Khorfakkan and Fujairah, as well as Hatta Border Crossing, for onward transport by road under the customs guarantee system, and prioritised customs transactions involving food products and medicines. Together, these measures strengthened supply chains and improved the flexibility of trade flows.
Green Corridor: economic packages in action
As geopolitical developments unfolded, Dubai Customs swiftly launched the Green Corridor to keep trade flowing through alternative routes and ensure goods continued to reach markets smoothly. Between 1 March and 30 June 2026, the Green Corridor facilitated the movement of more than 203,242 containers and over 3.16 million tonnes of goods worth more than AED 33.9 billion from 188 countries, confirming Dubai’s ability to maintain smooth trade flows and supply-chain continuity.
Food products topped the list of goods passing through the Green Corridor, valued at more than AED5.3 billion, followed by machinery and electrical equipment worth AED4.24 billion, vehicles at AED2.21 billion, plastics at AED1.5 billion, and iron and steel products at more than AED1 billion. The remaining goods were valued at over AED19.6 billion, reflecting the diversity of the emirate’s trade base.
Dubai Customs also handled consignments of medicines and pharmaceutical products worth AED446.6 million. It continued enhancing its digital services through Shahin, a platform using the latest tracking technologies and smart electronic seals, improving operational efficiency and accelerating the movement of goods. Dubai Customs also maintained an instant clearance rate of 93%, further improving customs efficiency and speeding up transaction processing.
Engagement with the business community Dubai Customs also strengthened its engagement with the business community, identifying more than 83 challenges and proposals relating to customs clearance, logistics services and shipping costs. Many of these were translated into practical initiatives and measures in record time, improving services, accelerating transaction processing and increasing the flexibility of trade flows, reflecting the strength of the partnership between Dubai Customs and the private sector.