UAE Free Trade
Zones and Free Zones
Ajman | Dubai | Fujairah | Ras
Al Khaimah | Sharjah | Umm Al Quwain
Free zones (sometimes called a free economic zone, duty free zone, tax
free zone, trade free zone or free trade zone) in the UAE allow 100%
foreign
ownership and have no taxes - usually guaranteed
for
15 or
50
years. Each
free zone
has its own specific requirements regarding minimum
office/warehouse
space and permitted activities. Companies outside the free zones require
a local sponsor and allow maximum 49% foreign ownership.
Dubai Free Zones and Free Trade Zones
Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ)
- PO Box 491, tel +971-4-2995555,
fax +971-4-2995500, email invest@dafza.gov.ae, web www.dafza.gov.ae (www.dafza.ae
also works). Sales office tel +971-4-2027000.
- Chairman - Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
- Director General - Dr Mohammed Al Zarouni.
- Minimum capital zero for branch, 500,000 dhs for FZC (Free Zone Company),
1,000,000 dhs for FZE (FreeZone Enterprise).
Dubai Car and Automotive City Free Zone (DUCAMZ)
- PO
Box 17000, tel +971-4-3335000, +971-4-3335777, email mktg@jafza.co.ae,
web www.ducamz.ae (www.ducamz.co.ae
also good). Managed by JAFZA.
Dubai Gold and Diamond Park
- Next to Dubai Police Traffic Department near Mall of the Emirates
on Sheikh Zayed Rd.
- PO Box 37370, +971-4-3477788, fax +971-4-3473206, email gdp@emaar.ae,
web www.goldanddiamondpark.com.
- Phase 1 established May 2001 as a LLC company owned by Emaar (a
UAE publicly listed company). Contains about 40 retail units and 120
manufacturing units.
- Phases 2 and 3 to come - more retail, manufacturing
and office units.
Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC)
- Sometimes called Dubai Health Care City.
- Behind Wafi Center. PO Box 66566, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, tel
+971-4-3245555, fax +971-4-3249000, web www.dhcc.ae.
Dubai Industrial City (DIC)
- Free zone?
- Subsidiary of Tatweer.
- Shuaib Residential Complex for workers to
be constructed with 87,000 beds and area of 14 million square feet.
Cost 1.6 billion dhs. Announced November 2006.
Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC)
- Opened September 2004. Regulator is DFSA, stock exchange is DIFX.
- web www.difc.ae.
Dubai Internet City (DIC)
- DIC building
4, PO Box 73000, tel +971-4-3911111, fax +971-4-3919000,
email opportunities@dubaiinternetcity.ae, web www.dubaiinternetcity.com (www.dic.ae
and www.dubaiinternetcity.ae also work).
Dubai Knowledge Village (KV or DKV)
Dubai Media City (DMC)
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC)
- Established in 2002, members include DGCX - Dubai Gold and Commodities
Exchange,
- Emirates Towers, Level 19,
PO Box 48800, Dubai, UAE, tel +971-4-3903899, fax +971-4-3903897, email
office@dmcc.ae,
web www.dmmc.ae.
Dubai Silicon Oasis
- web www.dso.ae.
- Announced October 2002. Established January 2005 in Nad Al Sheba
area on a 600 hectare site.
- Microelectronics technology and industrial park, including R & D
facilities.
- Chairman - Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and CEO
Dr Jürgen Knorr (was Dr Mohammed Al Zarouni?).
Dubai Techno Park (TP) - under development
- One of the Economic Zones World subsidiaries, set up as the science
and technology zone for EZW.
- Launched in 2002 with 23 sq km of industrial, research & development,
and technological businesses, focusing on the Energy, Desalination & Water
Resource Management, Environmental Resource Management and Technology
sectors.
- Chairman is Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem
- Managing Director is Hamad Al Hashemi
- Phase I consists of 2.3 million sq meters with 112 plots available
for the manufacturing and light industrial sector. All plots leased
out.
- Phase II consists of 17.7 million sq meters, development started
June 2007 and is named the 'Technopolis'. The Technopolis is intended
to be a world class center for technology, research, education and
industry. The Technopolis will provide R&D facilities, incubators
and business accelerators in environment and natural resource management,
as well as house water desalination, and oil & gas industry organisations.
- When completed, the Technopolis resident population will be about
60,000 people and a workforce of up to 133,000 people.
- Some organisations that have already signed up with Techo Park include:
- Baker Hughes - an oilfield supply company will establish a training
centre and operations facility to serve the oil and gas
sector. Announced September 2006.
- Cedars International integrated medical complex - an AED 1.15
billion project on 100,000 sq m of land, completion expected
in 2010.
- The Dubai LNG Storage Hub - a joint venture between
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) and LNG Impel, based at Dubai Techno
Park.
Total storage capacity 40-65 billion cubic feet (bcf), making it the largest
such facility in the world.
Expected completion between 2011 and 2013 in 3
phases.
- Emirates Designer Stone - an AED 800 million quartz stone manufacturing
plant. Announced August 2007.
- Mammut Group, a manufacturer of trailers, steel buildings,
sandwich panels, concrete pre cast panels and porta cabins, will
construct its new pre cast concrete panel factory on a 2m sq ft
plot in Dubai Techno Park. Total investment about AED 500 million.
Announced December 2004.
- Mattex International Group, a carpet manufacturer based in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia will lease 1m sq ft of land in the Park, with
an investment of AED 400 million in its facility.
- Nestle - will set up its Middle East manufacturing facility
on 100,000 sq m of land. Announced Jan 2007, first phase expected
to be complete by end 2007.
- Proclad Group International, an oil & gas and petrochemical
company, will set up an AED 400 million industrial
complex. Announced October 2005.
- Solar Technologies FZE will invest AED 50 million in a facility
to develop high technology solar energy products and
solutions. Announced June 2006.
- Technopark address: PO Box 16777, Dubai, UAE
Tel +971-4-3328835, fax +971-4-3328853, email info@tp.ae
- www.technopark.ae -
TechnoPark website (domains www.tp.ae and www.dubaitechnopark.com
are also valid)
Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone (TECOM)
- Free zone encompassing Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai
Knowledge Village.
- Established in 2000.
Economic Zones World (EZW)
- A Dubai World subsidiary that operates the free zones
Techno Park, Dubai Auto Zone, Jafza International, and Jebel Ali Free
Zone.
- CEO is
Mrs Salma Hareb, who is also CEO of Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA).
- www.ezw.ae - EZW website
Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA or JAFZ)
Free Zones in Dubai planned or under development
- Dubai Aid City
- Dubai Auto Parts City
- Dubai Biotechnology & Research Park (Dubiotech or Dubai Biotech)
- web www.dubiotech.com.
- Dubai Carpet Free Zone - Deira.
- Dubai Flower Center Free Zone - at Dubai International Airport.
- Dubai International Arbitration Center (DIAC)
- Dubai Maritime City
- Dubai Outsource Zone (DOZ) - www.doz.ae
- Dubai Studio City - Dubailand.
- Dubai Textile Village - Al Awir, scheduled completion October 2005?
- eHosting Data Fort
- Heavy Equipment & Trucks Free Zone
- International Media Production Zone - web www.impz.ae
- Mohammad Bin Rashid Technology Park - Jebel Ali Area.
- TechnoPark - see Dubai Techno Park
Other UAE Free Zones
Ajman Free Zone
Fujairah Free Zones
Fujeirah / Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ)
- PO Box 1133, tel +971-9-2228000,
fax +971-9-2228888, email freezone@emirates.net.ae, web www.fujairahfreezone.com.
- Director General - Sharif Habib Al Awadhi (sometimes spelt as Sharief
Habib Al Awadhi).
Fujairah Creative City or Fujairah Media (Fujairah Media City?)
- Fujairah Creative City announced
29 November 2005 as an alternative to Dubai Media City, planned opening
was 2007.
- March 2007 news said that work on Creativity City was expected to
start shortly, which makes a 2007 completion date seem unlikely. Area
of about 40,000 sq meters.
- Fujairah Media (FM) will offer television, radio and publishing
services.
- Radio station started December 2005? On "FM" (!)
98.4 FM.
- FCC website (same as FM website) - www.fujairahmedia.com -
limited information (December 2007)
- Contact details (December 2007):
- Fujairah Media FZ LLC,
PO Box 4422,
Fujariah UAE
- Tel +971-9-2244100,
Fax +971-9-2244101
Ras Al Khaimah Free Zones
RAK Free Trade Zone (RAKFTZ or RAK FTZ)
- Is not the same
as the 'RAK Investment Authority Free Zone'
- PO Box 10055, tel +971-7-2041111,
fax +971-7-2280859, email inquiry@rakftz.com, web www.rakftz.com.
- Offices in Dubai (Twin Towers tel +971-4-2088555 & Fairmont Hotel
tel +971-4-3124300), Abu Dhabi and India. Over 1000 new companies registered
in 2005 and
2006.
- Set up costs from US$8700 for complete package (about 32,000 dhs).
- The 'Ras
Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Authority' (RAKFTZA) overseas the RAK FZ
- Chairman of the RAK FTZA - Sheikh Faisal
Bin Saqr Al Qassimi. CEO/Director General - Mr Oussama El Omari (sometimes
spelt Ossama / Osama / Oussama Al Omari).
- Facilities include a nursery - Kids Zone Nursery (or KidsZone Nursery),
website at kidszone.rakftz.com.
- Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Business Park is in Al Nakheel Area
of RAK (see location
map of Emirates Business Center).
- Site of the RAK FTZ Industrial Park is Khor Khowair, near
Saqr Port, about 15 km north of Ras Al Khaimah city.
- RAKFTZ Technology Park is south of the city on the way
to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport.
- RAK sometimes spelt Ras Al Khaima, Ras Al Khayma, Ras Al Khaymah,
or Ras Al Kahima.
- Emaar RAK was established in 2005 in RAKFTZ to provide property and
real estate services for developments in RAK - in particular Al
Hamra Village and The Cove. Emaar RAK contact: PO Box 10055, Ras Al
Khaimah, tel +971-7-2041400, fax +971-7-2041404, web www.emaarrak.com.
- As of Sep 2006, 2500 companies started, 5 billion dhs invested in
infrastructure, 12 billion dhs of investment coming in (but that includes
7 billion from one project announced Sep 2006).
RAK Investment Authority Free Zone (RAKIA FZ)
- Different from the RAK Free Trade Zone
- PO Box 31291, Ras Al Khaimah, tel
+971-7-2447253, fax
+971-7-2445270, email enquiry@rakinvestmentauthority.com, web
www.rak-ia.com.
Ras Al Khaimah Media Free Zone (RAKMFZ) - RAK Media City
- tel +971-7-2445125, email enquiries@rakmediacity.com, web www.rakmediacity.com (under
construction as of Aug 2006).
- Established 03 January 2006 as an alternative to Dubai Media City.
- Also known as 'RAK Media Free Zone
and Film City'.
Other projects in RAKFTZ under consideration or development
- RAK Center for Business Excellence or RAK Training Center for Business
Excellence.
- RAK Education Zone.
- RAK Financial Center.
- RAK Industrial and Technology Park.
Sharjah Free Zones
Hamriyah Free Zone
- PO Box 1377, Sharjah, UAE, tel +971-6-5263333, fax +971-6-5263555,
email hfz@hamriyahfreezone.ae, web www.hamriyahfreezone.ae (also
www.hamriyahfz.com).
- Director General Dr Rashid Al Leem.
- Established 12 November 1995.
Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF)
- PO Box 8000, tel +971-6-5570000, fax +971-6-5571131, email info@saif-zone.com
or saifzone@emirates.net.ae, web www.saif-zone.com.
- Established September 1995.
- Chairman Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani.
Umm Al Quwain Free Zone (UAQ Free Zone)
- Ahmed Bin Rashid Free Zone (ABRFZ), PO Box 279, Umm Al Quwain, UAE,
tel +971-6-7655882, fax +971-6-7651552, email abrpaftz@emirates.net.ae,
appears to be no website (as of Aug 2006).
- Also called Ahmed Bin Rashid Port and Free Zone Authority or Ahmed
Bin Rashed Port and Free Zone Authority.
- Established April 1998.
This information last updated
Friday 01-May-2009
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