In the early 1980s, Dubai established one of the world’s largest drydocks, betting that global shipping and offshore energy would one day make the emirate a key maritime centre.

That facility, now known as Drydocks World, has since become a quiet but critical part of the region’s industrial backbone.

“Its story runs from early success through financial crisis and restructuring to a more disciplined growth phase under state-owned ports operator DP World,” says Rado Antolovic, CEO of Drydocks World.

“And that growth is marked by international project wins and new heavy-lift investment such as the 5,000‑tonne floating crane Alnokhada, which is set to become the largest floating crane in the Mena region,” Antolovic added.

Built for scale

From the outset, the yard was built for scale. Its main graving dock is 521 metres long and 100 metres wide, and with more than 3,700 metres of berthage and several floating docks, the yard can handle ultra‑large crude carriers, very large crude carriers, large container ships and complex offshore units.

“For many years, this supported a high‑volume repair and maintenance business. At its peak, the yard handled more than 300 projects per year, with thousands of skilled workers and technicians servicing tankers, bulkers, boxships, rigs and offshore support vessels,” Antolovic said.

Drydocks World quickly became one of the anchors of Dubai’s emerging maritime cluster, alongside Jebel Ali Port and what would become the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza).

Buoyed by this success, the company pursued ambitious expansion in the 2000s. The success hinged on strong shipping markets and sustained offshore investment, but when the global financial crisis hit, the company faced financial troubles as the global freight rates slumped, newbuilding orders slowed, and offshore projects got postponed or cancelled.

Resurgence after restructuring

Despite the financial strain, the yard was too strategic to allow it to decline. It underpinned regional shipping and offshore activities, supported thousands of jobs and sat next to Jebel Ali Port, which by the mid‑2010s was handling roughly 13–15 million TEU (twenty‑foot equivalent units) a year, the largest container terminal operation in the Middle East.

“Leaving such a facility to stagnate beside a flagship port would have impacted Dubai’s wider logistics proposition. The response was to stabilise, integrate and reposition the asset,” Antolovic said.

The restructuring started in 2012 and concluded around 2016. In 2017, Drydocks World was brought more clearly into the DP World orbit, giving it a simpler ownership structure and access to a broader operating platform.

DP World, which operates more than 60 ports and terminals and moves over 88 million TEU annually, brought global customer access, governance discipline and a clear industrial logic: ports, free zones and shipyards managed as a single system.

“For Drydocks World, this meant closer alignment with Jebel Ali Port and Jafza, tighter control and easier access to international markets,” Antolovic notes.

Over time, this strategy has shifted the business away from narrow reliance on low‑margin routine repairs. Today, Drydocks World operates as a full‑service marine and offshore engineering centre. It continues core ship repair services along with more complex works like Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) and Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) conversions, major life‑extension projects, reconfiguration of offshore units, and other retrofits.

In parallel, the yard has developed substantial offshore fabrication capacity. It constructs topsides, jackets and modules for fields in the North Sea, West Africa and the Middle East, and undertakes integration work for process systems and heavy modules.

This involves heavy lifts, complex fabrication and strict quality and safety regimes to the standards of major international oil companies. In‑house engineering and project management now cover design support, detailed engineering, procurement and full project execution.

“In effect, the yard has evolved from a conventional repair facility into a marine and offshore solutions provider with end‑to‑end capability,” says Antolovic.

Its project references reflect this shift. Drydocks World has supported offshore and marine developments linked to markets such as Nigeria, Mexico, Germany, the UK, Norway, and other markets. These contracts range from platform and module work to sophisticated vessel and unit upgrades. Taken together, they underline the yard’s role as part of global offshore supply chains, rather than a purely regional repair shop.

New investment in heavy‑lift capability reinforces this direction. Drydocks World recently marked a major milestone related to its new 5,000‑tonne floating crane, Alnokhada, signalling completion of its primary fabrication phase. The crane is being constructed by ZPMC Offshore in China. With the crane barge now afloat, the project has entered the outfitting phase, including system installation and testing ahead of commissioning in the first quarter of 2026 and delivery in Dubai in the second quarter of next year.

Alnokhada is a significant asset. The barge is 138.5 metres long, with a 52‑metre beam and a 5.8‑metre draft. Its lifting system combines a 5,000‑tonne main hook with a 600‑tonne auxiliary hook reaching 180 metres. Once operational, it will join Drydocks World’s heavy‑lift fleet, adding capacity for complex offshore, industrial and energy projects, with greater speed, enhanced safety and the scale required to meet rising demand. The name was chosen via a nationwide competition that drew more than 3,000 submissions.

Drydocks World launches its new 5,000-tonne floating crane ALNOKHADA, spanning 138.5 metres in length with a 52 metres beam and 5.8 metres draft, featuring a 5,000 tonne main hook and a 600 tonne auxiliary hook reaching 180 metres. ALNOKHADA now advances toward joining the… pic.twitter.com/bTwgFrfo5M

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) November 26, 2025

Differentiating factor

Within the GCC, several countries have invested in shipyards and offshore facilities, but Drydocks World occupies a distinct position.

“Its integration with Jebel Ali Port, Jafza and DP World’s global network means few regional locations can offer, in one place, a major container hub, a large industrial and logistics zone and a shipyard capable of handling ultra‑large vessels, complex offshore projects and heavy‑lift operations backed by assets such as Alnokhada,” says Antolovic

Shipping lines and energy companies can coordinate port calls, storage, manufacturing, logistics, fabrication and repair or upgrade work in a single hub.

The depth of experience in complex offshore work and conversions further sets the yard apart. While routine repair capacity exists across the region, the track record Drydocks World has built on demanding projects for clients connected to Nigeria, Mexico, Germany, the UK and Norway is harder to replicate. Its physical scale allows multiple large projects to run in parallel. Dubai’s role as a regional base for many shipping, offshore and energy firms, with decision‑makers close at hand, adds a practical advantage in planning and oversight.

Detailed stand‑alone financial figures for Drydocks World are not disclosed separately in DP World’s reporting, but several indicators point to a markedly stronger position than before restructuring.

A steady flow of contracts and repeat business from major international clients suggests improved control. DP World’s continuing investment in the industrial and logistics ecosystem, and the treatment of the shipyard as a strategic component of that system, indicate that it is seen as a contributor to value.

The influence of DP World is evident in Drydocks World’s structural shifts: integrated planning across port, free zone and yard; standardised processes; more rigorous project selection; and investment in assets like a new headquarters building, which is now under construction and Alnokhada that match the yard’s long‑term project mix.

From a distressed, heavily indebted operation a decade ago, Drydocks World Dubai has become a stable, specialised industrial asset with regional and international reach. It supports thousands of jobs, maintains and upgrades critical shipping and offshore infrastructure, and reinforces Dubai’s position as a maritime and logistics hub.