Port Cities: Dubai

Dubai, a city known for its glamorous retail centers, sparkling skyscrapers, and eight-lane highways filled with luxury cars, and the home of one of our offices.

 

Let’s explore Dubai, its maritime story and its port together.

 

History of Dubai

 

 

The contemporary transformation of Dubai into a major port metropolis has a dramatic quality. Things weren’t always like this. But even if we turn back to where things started, thanks to the location of the city, trade was always part of the heritage of the region.

 

Located along the Persian Gulf, this seaside village gained notoriety in the early 1900s for its pearling industry. In quest of the shimmer of real pearls, brave divers would plunge into the depths. Fortunes were tied to the erratic abundance of the sea, life was difficult, and rewards were unpredictable. At that time, life in the village that would later become Dubai was no different from the quaint, sparsely populated holiday villages of our childhood memories.

 

Then history changed course in 1902. The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum, recognised an opportunity when a new trade policy in Persia left merchants reeling. He made Dubai a tax-free port, so turning a sleepy fishing community into a thriving commercial center. Initially, merchants from Iran poured in. Indian merchants did the same. By the 1930s, Dubai was known as the Silk Road on water, connecting East and West with dhows or let’s say traditional Middle Eastern merchant vessels loaded with fabrics, spices and many more things.

 

The British powers, who had taken the in the 19th century, decided to withdraw from the Gulf region at the end of the 1960s and withdrew completely at the end of 1971. After the withdrawal of the British from the territory, the heads of Abu Dhabi and Dubai united and decided to establish a union in their region and established the United Arab Emirates, which initially consisted of six. emirates and later continued with seven.

 

 

The 1960s also brought maybe the most important turning point for Dubai, the discovery of oil, which brought in wealth like a spring tide. However, the city had more extravagant plans than clinging to black gold, and by the late 1970s, it was creating Jebel Ali Port, the world’s largest manmade harbour. With Port Rashid and Jebel Ali managing millions of containers and linking numerous ports globally, Dubai is today at the intersection of international trade.

 

Dubai as a Port City

 

 

The largest artificial harbour, the ninth busiest port in the world, and the largest and busiest port in the Middle East is Jebel Ali. It has 67 berths and a size of 134.68 square kilometres, covering over 130 square kilometres. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1979.

 

Ships of the US Navy now visit the port of Jebel Ali more often than any other port outside of the US. Due to the port’s size and depth, many large vessels can be accommodated. 

 

The port has a container capacity of over 19 million TEUs.

 

Attractions in Dubai

 

 

According to Euromonitor International, Dubai is on the list of the top three most visited cities in the world with 17 million international visitors in 2023. It is not a surprising fact.

 

The Burj Khalifa, the undeniable crown jewel of Dubai’s skyline, is a symbol rather than just a structure. It is the world’s highest building at 828 meters.

 

A synchronised wonder of light, water, and music, the Dubai Fountain is tucked away at the base of the Burj Khalifa. The world’s largest performing fountain, it spans 275 meters across the man-made Burj Lake.

 

 

Museum of the Future, which resembles a torus covered in Arabic calligraphy, appears to have been taken straight out of a science fiction nightmare. Exhibitions inside examine how technology and mankind interact, speculating on what our world might look like in the coming decades.

 

In addition to building skyscrapers, Dubai also constructs islands. An engineering marvel that can be seen from space is the Palm Jumeirah, the first of three planned artificial archipelagos. It is shaped like a palm tree and is dotted with private beaches, five-star resorts, and opulent residences. Also, The World Islands, a group of 300 man-made islands modelled after a global map, can be seen as if Palm Jumeirah wasn’t ambitious enough.

 

The Dubai Museum, which is housed in the Al Fahidi Fort, provides a sharp contrast to the contemporary glamour of the city. It displays of Bedouin culture, pearl diving artefacts, and desert life dioramas as the exhibits explore Dubai’s modest origins.

 

Culture of Dubai

 

 

Dubai’s culture is like its port traffic: diverse, bustling, and constantly shifting. In sports, football is quite popular. Three Dubai teams (Al Wasl, Shabab Al-Ahli, and Al Nasr) are playing in the UEA Pro-League. Since Dubai’s thriving expat community, cricket also has a unique niche, with matches frequently taking the form of miniature World Cups. Dubai is home to the International Cricket Council’s headquarters. Dubai also hosts reputable tennis and golf tournaments.

 

Dubai hosts several international art fairs, such as Art Dubai and Sikka Art Fair. Dubai’s immersive digital art museum, Infinity des Lumières, opened its doors in 2021. The museum is the biggest digital art center in the Middle East and is situated on the second floor of the Dubai Mall.

 

Dubai’s food is as layered as its history. It is possible to taste the Persian and Indian influences.

 

Manousheh is known as Pizza of Dubai and is very popular in Dubai. Kebabs are mostly Iranian-rooted like Chelo Kebab.

 

One of the most loved dishes is Kabsa, which is influenced by Persian and Indian biryanis and can be made with chicken, lamb, camel meat or fish.

 

 

Then there’s Dubai Chocolate, the new culinary sensation making waves. Inspired by her pregnant cravings, Dubai-based chocolatier Sarah Hamouda created the chocolate. The ideas of British-Egyptian entrepreneurs are currently an international craze.