Dubai Port's Abandoned Food Shipments To Be Redistributed To Those In Need

The UAE Food Bank and the DP World Foundation have launched a new initiative to recover abandoned food shipments at Jebel Ali Port and redistribute eligible products to beneficiaries.

The Sustainable Goodness initiative, launched in collaboration with Dubai Municipality, Dubai Customs and DP World, aims to reduce food waste while ensuring all redistributed food meets approved health and food safety standards.

Under the initiative, participating entities will identify and manage food shipments whose owners do not complete customs clearance procedures at Jebel Ali Port. Eligible shipments will be assessed for suitability before being transferred to the UAE Food Bank for redistribution through its humanitarian network.

The initiative will also help simplify release procedures and reduce costs and processing times for companies that voluntarily relinquish ownership of eligible food shipments and donate them to the UAE Food Bank's programmes.

Manal Bin Yarouf, Head of the Executive Team at the UAE Food Bank Foundation, said the initiative addresses a key challenge in food supply chains by preventing eligible abandoned shipments from becoming waste and redirecting them to humanitarian purposes.

Latifa Al Qamzi, Director General of the DP World Foundation, said the initiative shows the importance of coordinated action in advancing sustainability and strengthening humanitarian impact.

“By bringing together key partners across the food, logistics, customs, and regulatory ecosystem, we are creating a practical mechanism that reduces food waste, preserves valuable resources, and redirects food supplies to communities that can benefit from them most."

Dr Naseem Mohammed Rafee, Acting CEO of the Environment, Health and Safety Agency at Dubai Municipality, said the municipality would provide technical and regulatory support to ensure food shipments comply with approved health and food safety requirements before being transferred to the UAE Food Bank.

Under the agreement, the partners will also work on awareness initiatives to promote responsible consumption and highlight the importance of reducing food waste.

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