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Dubai Maritime City sees strong leasing demand as ship repair and marine manufacturing expand
Dubai Maritime City (DMC) has signed 18 new leases in the first nine months of 2026, covering over 572,000 sq. ft of industrial and commercial space and generating six times more revenue than the same period last year.
The new leases reflect continued confidence in Dubai as a long-term base for regional and international markets, with 72% of the leases signed after February, and therefore during a period of heightened regional uncertainty. Ship repair and marine manufacturing have emerged as the fastest-growing segments at DMC.
According to Ahmed Al Hammadi, COO, DMC, “Companies are choosing to build their facilities here, take on long-term commitments and invest in equipment and infrastructure, which tells us Dubai gives them the certainty they need to plan ahead. For shipowners and operators, that translates into deeper repair capacity, shorter turnaround times and more of the services they need in one place.”
Businesses at DMC lease under one of two structures. These can either be a one-year agreement, renewable annually, or a 25-year Musataha agreement, under which companies can develop their own ship repair or shipbuilding workshops on the site. Companies that have taken prebuilt units this year are already operational, while plots secured under Musataha agreements are in the construction phase.
