In the first three months of the Sharjah–Oman sea–land logistics corridor (17 May – 17 August 2026) the volume of goods moved rose 66%, the total value reached Dh1.7 billion (~$463.21 million), and the Khatmat Malaha and Al Madam checkpoints processed more than 34,000 trucks and over 32,000 customs declarations. Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority announced the figures on 20 September 2026, quoting Mohammed Al Raisi, Director of Border Crossings and Entry Points Affairs.
Three months in numbers
Sharjah Customs recorded actual traffic for the 17 May – 17 August 2026 window. According to the authority:
- +66% — growth in the volume of goods moved through the corridor in three months.
- Dh1.7 billion (~$463.21 million) — aggregate value of goods moved in the window.
- 34,000+ trucks — combined flow through the Khatmat Malaha and Al Madam land crossings.
- 32,000+ customs declarations — processed via the joint Sharjah Customs–Oman Customs procedure.
These are actual results, not a forecast or plan. The figures were released on 20 September 2026 and refer to the first three-month window of the corridor, counting from its launch on 17 May 2026.
How the route works
The corridor is an integrated sea–land scheme — Sharjah Customs officially calls it the «integrated sea–land logistics model». Two land border crossings between the UAE and the Sultanate of Oman anchor the flow:
- Khatmat Malaha — on the east coast, in the Kalba area (Sharjah). The main land gateway to the Omani coast of the Arabian Sea.
- Al Madam — the western inland stretch of Sharjah. Used for transit to and from Oman's interior.
On the Omani side the corridor is anchored on three key ports:
- Sohar — a major container and industrial port on the Sea of Oman.
- Duqm — a deep-water port and special economic zone on the Arabian Sea, in central Oman.
- Salalah — one of the largest container terminals on the Indian Ocean, in southern Oman.
The Omani ports provide direct access to the Indian Ocean. That is the corridor's core logistics proposition: routes from the UAE to India, East Africa and Southeast Asia can now be built via the Omani Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean coast, rather than only through the country's own Arabian Gulf ports.
What the corridor gives UAE business
Sharjah Customs describes the model as «flexible and competitive logistics solutions» for importers, exporters, freight forwarders and logistics providers. Behind the wording sit three practical effects.
Sea-leg diversification. UAE companies whose external trade flows to the Indian Ocean basin gain an alternative — the Omani ports of Sohar, Duqm and Salalah, complementing the UAE's own Arabian Gulf ports. This reduces exposure to a single logistics node and expands planning options.
Single customs perimeter. Joint administration of the border by Sharjah Customs and Oman Customs means declarations are processed in a single integrated procedure. In practice this speeds up cargo movement through the Khatmat Malaha and Al Madam crossings.
Three-month growth. A 66% jump in goods value and 34,000+ trucks in the first window is a signal of real demand, not a pilot test. For businesses planning to open a logistics centre or warehouse in the UAE, the eastern part of Sharjah and the corridors to Kalba now appear on the map as a stand-alone location option — close to Khatmat Malaha and to the Omani coast.
Where it fits in the country's logistics framework
The Sharjah–Oman corridor is not a one-off initiative but part of a broader UAE policy of diversifying external trade routes. In September 2026, the Etihad Rail Freight and AD Ports Group rail service Fujairah → Industrial City of Abu Dhabi launched in parallel, with its own international UN/LOCODE «AECAD» — an east-coast outlet for Abu Dhabi. The Sharjah–Oman corridor covers the adjacent zone — south-eastern and inland routes to Oman and onward to the Indian Ocean. Both projects share a single objective: reducing end-to-end logistics costs for goods moving through the country.
In parallel, the UAE is expanding external trade corridors via bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) with key markets. Domestic port and rail infrastructure and external trade agreements work in the same logic — cutting end-to-end costs and growing the UAE's share as a regional trade hub.
Practical steps for UAE importers and exporters
A checklist for companies serving the Indian Ocean basin or working with Oman:
- Ask for an alternative from your logistics provider. Request that your freight forwarder quote a routing via the Sharjah–Oman corridor and the ports of Sohar/Duqm/Salalah. Compare end-to-end economics — tariff, transit time, insurance, fuel surcharge, carbon — with your current route through the Arabian Gulf ports.
- Check booking compatibility. Confirm with your provider that booking with reference to the Khatmat Malaha or Al Madam land crossings is supported and that documentation (bill of lading, transport waybill, customs declarations) flows correctly through the joint Sharjah–Oman Customs procedure.
- Re-map logistics for new orders. If your suppliers or customers sit in India, East Africa or Southeast Asia, the Omani coast may now be closer than the classic route via the Arabian Gulf. Sharjah free-zone residents (Hamriyah Free Zone, SAIF Zone, SPC Free Zone) benefit directly; DMCC, JAFZA and Meydan residents should run the comparative economics.
- Update your ESG methodology. Fix the sea-leg share and Scope 3 emissions profile of the new route before the end of your financial year and reflect it correctly in reporting. For companies with ESG obligations and corporate procurement counterparties, this is a factor in tenders.
Prepared on the basis of the official statement by Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority of 20 September 2026 (primary source — comment by Mohammed Al Raisi, Director of Border Crossings and Entry Points Affairs) and The National's «Value of goods through Sharjah-Oman logistics corridor jumps 66% in three months». For specific tariffs, schedules and booking options, contact Sharjah Customs, Oman Customs and your freight forwarder. This material is for information only and does not constitute commercial or logistics advice.
