The UAE is working on a major infrastructure push aimed at ending its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. UAE Foreign Trade Minister Thani Al Zeyoudi said the goal is “zero Hormuz dependency,” regardless of whether the strait is open, while also noting hopes for eventual reopening.

The plan is driven by the impact of Hormuz being effectively shut during regional hostilities, which has underscored how critical the waterway is for global energy and commodity flows. The UAE says it has already begun partially bypassing the strait by using an existing pipeline to move some crude via east-coast ports and by shifting some cargo routing.

At the center of the new approach is expanding eastern ports outside the strait along the Gulf of Oman—especially Dibba, Fujairah, and Khor Fakkan—and building additional new harbor capacity. The strategy is paired with significant investment in new pipelines and transport links (including rail and road) to improve connections between the eastern ports and the UAE’s oil and gas facilities.

Al Zeyoudi said the UAE is working to fast-track a second pipeline to increase crude export capacity via Fujairah, while also considering a third petroleum pipeline and options for exporting additional products such as petrochemicals and LNG. He did not provide costs or timelines, saying the projects were in the planning and feasibility phase, and described likely multi-billion-dollar requirements.

The report also notes the challenges of shifting logistics away from well-established hubs: while pipelines could eventually route most crude and refined products to eastern ports, rerouting other commodities like LNG and aluminum would be harder. It adds that moving goods from eastern ports to major demand centers like Dubai and Abu Dhabi could be more expensive, but that rail expansion and continued reliance on major ports such as Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Port would help offset costs.