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Dubai Maritime City achieves record dry berth occupancy
Dubai Maritime City (DMC), an integrated maritime services and ship repair hub, recorded 52 vessels in its dry berths on 28th July 2026, its highest number in a single day, as demand for vessel servicing continues to grow, largely as a result of increased regional oil and gas production.
Dry berth occupancy, for vessels that are lifted out of the water for inspection, maintenance and repair, increased 22% year-on-year in July, while the total number of vessels accommodated during the month rose 7%, from 188 in July 2025 to 202 this year. Offshore vessels of up to 150 m in length accounted for much of the increase as operators prioritised servicing fleets to ensure operational readiness. Demand from yachts and pleasure craft also increased sharply.
According to Ahmed Alhammadi, Chief Operating Officer, DMC, “July’s strong performance reflects the confidence shipowners place in Dubai Maritime City. Our priority is to make sure DMC has the capacity and capability to respond to customers when they need us most, and that is why we continue to invest in the facilities, technology and equipment that the maritime industry depends on.”
DMC is also expanding capacity for smaller vessels, acquiring and retrofitting more than 500 ship cradle units, which can accommodate up to 60 small boats. This will consolidate the ability of the facility to handle a wide range of vessels, from yachts, leisure craft and traditional wooden dhows to commercial and offshore vessels.
DMC is also investing to increase automation across its operations. Three vehicle gates have recently been automated, digitising 16,000 vehicle movements each week. Additionally, AI-based safety systems have been introduced and berth booking, and reservations systems are in the process of being automated.
Together, these investments are expanding DMC’s capacity to serve a broader range of vessels while improving the speed, safety and efficiency of its services, thereby strengthening its position as one of the region’s leading ship repair and maritime services hubs.
