Leading Maritime Cities Report 2026: Dubai And Abu Dhabi Record Strong Results Across Key Maritime Indicators
Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, CEO Maritime at DNV, said:“This has been a year of disruption and adjustment for the maritime industry. Faced with these challenges, the leading maritime cities have demonstrated that leadership is built not on a single activity, but on breadth. Their results reflect the strength of the maritime communities they have built and their ability to respond as the industry changes. Looking ahead, continued collaboration, investment and knowledge-sharing will be essential to build on this progress and advance the maritime industry together”. Benjamin Dineshkar, Head of Maritime Advisory Middle East & Africa, said:“Dubai and Abu Dhabi bring complementary strengths to the UAE's maritime cluster. Dubai's international connectivity and attractiveness as a location for maritime business sit alongside Abu Dhabi's strong results in market capitalization and rapidly growing fleet. This breadth of capability reinforces the UAE's role as an important maritime hub and provides a strong foundation for its continued development.” Dr. Erik Jakobsen, Partner and Chair of Menon Economics, said:“The ranking looks beyond the scale of maritime activity in a city. In Attractiveness and Competitiveness, a strong position depends on the wider conditions for maritime businesses to operate and attract talent. In Ports and Logistics, the assessment considers how effectively a hub connects physical port activity with international logistics and the changing needs of shipping. Maritime Finance and Law measures the depth of the financial and legal capabilities supporting maritime business. These results show why it is important to look at the individual pillars as well as the overall ranking”. Now in its seventh edition, the study initially assessed more than 15,000 cities using objective maritime indicators to identify 50 candidates for the final ranking. These cities were then benchmarked using 48 objective and subjective indicators across five pillars. The assessment incorporates responses from more than 200 maritime industry experts globally. The 2026 edition introduces new and updated indicators to reflect changes in the maritime industry and the factors shaping the competitiveness of maritime cities, including the energy transition, technology, talent and resilience. As the framework has evolved, changes in rankings compared with previous editions should be considered in the context of these methodological updates. |
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| Singapore retains position as world's leading maritime city, according to the Leading Maritime Cities (LMC) report from DNV and Menon Economics | ||
| About DNV: We are the independent expert in risk management and quality assurance. Driven by our purpose, to safeguard life, property and the environment, we empower our customers and their stakeholders with facts and reliable insights so that critical decisions can be made with confidence. As a trusted voice for many of the world's most successful organizations, we use our knowledge to advance safety and performance, set industry benchmarks, and inspire and invent solutions to tackle global transformations. DNV in the maritime industry: DNV is the world's leading classification society and a recognized advisor for the maritime industry. We enhance safety, quality, energy efficiency and environmental performance of the global shipping industry – across all vessel types and offshore structures. We invest heavily in research and development to find solutions, together with the industry, that address strategic, operational or regulatory challenges. About Menon Economics: Menon Economics is an economic analysis and advisory firm, with around 100 economists educated to master's and PhD level. Menon has researched the maritime industry for 25 years and produces a wide range of reports each year related to industry competitiveness, market analysis and societal analysis. Menon has published the biennial report The Leading Maritime Cities of the World since 2015. |
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