Middle East

Industry News

UAE Port Delays Deepen as Khor Fakkan and Sharjah Face Growing Backlogs

Logistics group Kuehne+Nagel reports that port congestion across the UAE has intensified, causing significant operational delays at Khor Fakkan and Sharjah. Average vessel waiting times at Khor Fakkan reached 7.25 days as of October 30, 2026, while inland terminal transfer times to major UAE hubs have lengthened from five days to between 12 and 15 days. Kuehne+Nagel expects congestion to worsen in the coming weeks due to strong regional import demand and precautionary inventory building.

Industry News

OpenAI Details UAE Growth, Enterprise Data Residency, and Regional Expansion Plans

OpenAI EMEA Managing Director Emmanuel Marill stated that paid ChatGPT consumer subscriptions in the UAE grew over 80 percent in the year to September 2026. Speaking to Gulf Business, Marill outlined OpenAI's local Inference Residency offering for regulated UAE entities and the regional rollout of ChatGPT Ads. He noted that four in five young adults aged 18 to 34 in the UAE use the platform weekly.

Policy & Legal Updates

GCC Inheritance Laws Define Estate and Wealth Transfer Regulations for Expatriates

Inheritance laws across the Gulf Cooperation Council vary significantly based on nationality, religion, and asset location. In the UAE, Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 governs non-Muslim civil inheritance, while neighboring GCC states enforce distinct testamentary and real estate transfer procedures.

Industry News

Gulf Bulk Vessel Congestion Rises as Fujairah Accounts for 28 Percent

Commercial dry bulk congestion across 29 Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman ports reached 265 vessels as of late October 2026. The UAE's Port of Fujairah accounted for 74 waiting ships, representing 28 percent of the regional idle fleet.