Abu Dhabi Advances Fujairah Port Expansion to Safeguard Asian and Chinese Trade

Abu Dhabi is advancing a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure initiative titled 'Zero Hormuz' designed to reduce maritime logistics reliance on the Strait of Hormuz. Managed by Abu Dhabi sovereign platform L'imad Holding, the project is expanding container and oil facilities in Fujairah to safeguard freight and energy exports to key Asian trading partners, including China.

The initiative coincides with plans to take AD Ports Group private at an estimated valuation near $9 billion. China serves as a principal Asian destination for Gulf energy and cargo flows seeking bypass routes outside congested maritime checkpoints, with the expansion intended to maintain commercial continuity across China–UAE supply chains.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan leads the $300 billion sovereign wealth fund L'imad Holding, which Bloomberg reported has become central to establishing alternative trade and transport infrastructure. People familiar with the matter stated the entity is positioned to deploy tens of billions of dollars more into developing new port and logistics assets situated outside the strategic strait.