Mumbai, Oct. 13 -- Sharjah is targeting $3 bn in investment from Indian companies during 2026 and 2027 as disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz increase interest in Khorfakkan Port on the Gulf of Oman. The emirate is seeking investment from manufacturers, logistics companies and other businesses that want to use the UAE as a gateway to markets across the wider Gulf region.

Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, chief executive officer of the Sharjah FDI Office, said the emirate was targeting around $1.5 bn in Indian investment in 2026 and a further $1.5 bn in 2027. He said the combined target represented an increase of around 15 per cent from the previous year.

Khorfakkan Commercial Terminal is the only fully commercial terminal in the UAE outside the Strait of Hormuz. Its location on the Gulf of Oman provides direct access to international east-west maritime shipping routes without requiring vessels to pass through the strait. The port is therefore attracting companies seeking to establish or expand operations in the UAE, particularly amid regional shipping disruptions and constraints around access to Jebel Ali.

Invest in Sharjah, the emirate's official foreign direct investment office under investment and development authority Shurooq, said enquiries had increased from the manufacturing, logistics and transportation sectors. Demand is particularly strong for industrial land near Khorfakkan, while some companies based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are expanding their UAE operations closer to the port rather than relocating their existing activities.

Khorfakkan Port is undergoing a phased expansion led by operator Gulftainer. The programme is intended to increase annual container-handling capacity from 3.5 mn twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to 5 mn TEUs. Its longer-term strategic target is to exceed 10 mn TEUs annually, supporting Sharjah's plans to develop Khorfakkan as a regional logistics and trade gateway serving India, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq and other Gulf markets.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.