Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza;

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

: (جافزا) المنطقة الحرّة لجبل علي al-Munṭaqa al-Ḥurra le Jabal ʿAlī) is a

free economic zone Free economic zones (FEZ), free economic territories (FETs) or free zones (FZ) are a class of special economic zone (SEZ) designated by the trade and commerce administrations of various countries. The term is used to designate areas in which co ...

located in the

Jebel Ali Jebel Ali ( ar, جبل علي) is a port town south-west of Dubai. The Jebel Ali Port is located there. Al Maktoum International Airport has been constructed just outside the port area. Jebel Ali is connected to Dubai via the UAE Exchange (fo ...

area at the far western end of

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, wikt:دبي, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates#Major cities, most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 ...

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (Middle East, The Middle East). It is ...

, near

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dha ...

. Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is the flagship free zone of

DP World DP World is an Emirati multinational logistics company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It specialises in cargo logistics, port terminal operations, maritime services and free trade zones. Formed in 2005 by the merger of Dubai Ports Auth ...

, and is an integral part of the DP World UAE’s integrated business hub. Created under a Ruler's Decree, Jafza commenced operations in 1985 with only 19 companies offering standard size office units and warehouses to provide ready built facilities to customers. In 1990 Jafza expanded its facilities to include light industrial units. As of 2021, Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) hosts over 8,700 companies and is considered the world's largest free zone. The Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is a community and ecosystem where industries such as

logistics Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. In a general business sense, logistics manages the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of ...

, electronics & electrical, automotive, food and agriculture, e-commerce, petrochemicals and many more thrive. Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza)'s proximity to Jebel Ali Port,

Al Maktoum International Airport Al Maktoum International Airport , also known as Dubai World Central, is an international airport in Jebel Ali, southwest of Dubai, United Arab Emirates that opened on 27 June 2010. It is the main part of Dubai South, a planned reside ...

, and the Expo 2020 Dubai site has helped it become an ideal hub for global trade and a well-integrated business setup solution provider.

Location

Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is spread over 57 square k.m located in the Jebel Ali area at the far western end of Dubai, on the Skeikh Zayed Road (E11) and is accessible from Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) too. * Jafza is located at 24’59’05.22 N, 55’05’26.45 E (24.984786, 55.0906813). * The closest gate to access Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is Gate 4 of Jebel Ali. Access to the free zone is restricted and requires a Gate Pass. Obtaining a gate pass requires prior registration. * Jafza is located alongside the region’s largest deep sea port in Jebel Ali. It is adjacent to the Dubai Expo 2020 site. * Jafza is located 40 k.m from

Dubai International Airport Dubai International Airport ( ar, مطار دبي الدولي) is the primary international airport serving Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is the world's busiest airport by international passenger traffic. It is also the nineteenth-busies ...

and 24 k.m from

Economy

More than 8,700 global companies are based in Jafza. This includes approximately 100 of the

Fortune Global 500 The ''Fortune'' Global 500, also known as Global 500, is an annual ranking of the top 500 corporations worldwide as measured by revenue. The list is compiled and published annually by ''Fortune'' magazine. Methodology Until 1989, it listed onl ...

companies including aerospace giant

Liebherr Liebherr is a German-Swiss multinational equipment manufacturer based in Bulle, Switzerland, with its main production facilities and origins in Germany. Liebherr consists of over 130 companies organized into 11 divisions: earthmoving, mining, ...

through its subsidiary

OEMServices OEMServices SAS (formerly ''SAVE GIE''), or OEMS for short, is a French company involved in the maintenance, repair, overhaul, logistics and customer support of commercial aircraft. It is a joint venture between aerospace giants Safran, Thales, ...

. Jafza accounts for almost 32 per cent of total FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) flow into the country. The free zone contributes 21 per cent of Dubai's GDP on a yearly basis and it sustains the employment of more than 144,000 people in the United Arab Emirates. In 2015, Jafza generated trade worth $87.6 billion.

References

External links

*
UAE Free Trade Zones
- list with brief information
Satellite image of New West Camp Jebel Ali Free Zone.
Free-trade zones of the United Arab Emirates Economy of Dubai Geography of Dubai Neighbourhoods in the United Arab Emirates DP World {{UnitedArabEmirates-geo-stub