Dubai Integrated Economic Zones (DIEZ) — the umbrella for Dubai Airport Freezone, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity — reported Dh246 billion in trade for the first half of 2026 (+17% YoY), a sixth consecutive first-half record.
What happened
On 18 October 2026 Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed published an official post on DIEZ H1 2026 results: aggregate trade across the three underlying free zones reached Dh246 billion (about $67 billion), 17% above the same period in 2025.
Key H1 2026 numbers
- imports — Dh134.8bn (+14% YoY);
- re-exports — Dh108.8bn (+22% YoY);
- direct exports — roughly Dh2.4bn;
- share of Dubai non-oil trade — 16%, up from 15.4% a year earlier;
- physical volume — around 270,000 tonnes versus about 298,000 tonnes in H1 2025.
Value growth outpaces tonnage: DIEZ is shipping higher-value goods per tonne. The mix bears this out — machinery, equipment and electricals account for 66% of trade, while precious stones, metals and jewellery add 30% (+18% YoY). Together these two categories cover about 96% of the total.
Top trade partners
China accounted for Dh69.8bn (28.4% of trade), Saudi Arabia Dh26.5bn (10.8%), India Dh17.6bn (7.2%) and Vietnam Dh13.2bn (5.4%). The concentration in Asian and Middle Eastern markets confirms that Dubai's transit-logistics role, rather than domestic production, remains the main driver — complemented by UAE CEPA trade agreements with India and partners in the region.
What leadership said
"Competition in global trade is no longer determined by trade volumes alone," Sheikh Hamdan said, adding that Dubai's strength lies in an integrated logistics ecosystem and its ability to keep supply chains flowing as they reconfigure globally. DIEZ chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed noted the authority "continues to advance an integrated economic and logistics ecosystem that enables businesses to connect efficiently with global markets and opportunities." DIEZ executive chairman Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni added that the next phase is about sustaining the momentum and building on the strategic results already achieved.
What this means for UAE business
The three DIEZ zones cover distinct resident profiles:
- Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ) — logistics and re-export operations next to Dubai International Airport (DXB); the 22% re-export jump confirms this corridor is accelerating;
- Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) — tech, engineering and industrial companies;
- Dubai CommerCity — a dedicated e-commerce free zone.
A record H1 is not an abstract macro number: it shows Dubai's re-export corridor is working better than in the previous cycle and that the average value per tonne is rising. For resident companies this is an argument for scaling warehousing; for operators still choosing a jurisdiction, it is a prompt to compare profiles across Dubai's major free zones with logistics attachment and operation type in mind.
Context
For full-year 2025, DIEZ posted Dh491 billion in trade (+46% versus 2024), an all-time record. The H1 2026 pace (+17% YoY at Dh246 billion) suggests a possible full-year 2026 outcome of Dh520–560 billion if H2 sustains momentum — a working estimate, not a forecast, until H2 numbers land.
This is informational material, not investment advice. Figures are drawn from Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed's official post on 18.10.2026 and from the Khaleej Times detailed write-up of the same day.
