Dubai allows container transit via Khorfakkan and Fujairah without local clearance
Through Customs Notice No. 03/2026, Dubai Customs has introduced a facilitation allowing containers destined for Jebel Ali or its free zones to be landed at Khorfakkan or Fujairah, then transferred without local clearance, in order to safeguard the flow of goods when Jebel Ali is at capacity.
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Dubai Customs has published Customs Notice No. 03/2026, opening a temporary facilitation for the transit of goods bound for the port of Jebel Ali or its free zones: these containers can now be landed at the ports of Khorfakkan or Fujairah, on the eastern coast of the Emirates, without being locally cleared at that point of arrival.
The bill of lading continues to name Jebel Ali as the final destination; the goods then move on to Jebel Ali, where standard clearance applies. The stated aim of Dubai Customs is to safeguard trade flows in the event of congestion at the port of Jebel Ali, a risk heightened since traffic was rerouted because of tensions in the Red Sea, which have shifted part of global container traffic onto alternative routes and ports of call.
The notice does not specify a period of validity or a closed list of eligible goods; local operators and freight forwarders present it as a facilitation measure rather than a permanent change to customs procedure.
What it changes for an importer
For an importer whose freight is usually scheduled for Jebel Ali, this facilitation means that a container diverted to Khorfakkan or Fujairah in the event of congestion can still be treated as though it arrived at Jebel Ali, without double clearance. The point to watch is the calculation of free storage time and the actual final delivery lead times: Sorva systematically asks the freight forwarder to confirm, for each booking, whether this facilitation applies and how it changes the delivery schedule.
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