Two major Gulf seaports—Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates and King Abdulaziz Port in Saudi Arabia—continue to experience congestion, with freight delays of at least five days, according to a DHL report verified on May 22, 2026.
Jebel Ali Port, the busiest in the Middle East, and King Abdulaziz Port have seen persistent bottlenecks, though other regional ports remain largely stable. The delays are attributed to high cargo volumes and operational constraints, but no specific cause was confirmed in the DHL report.
Shipping industry sources indicate that the congestion has not spread to other Gulf ports, which are operating normally. Efforts to alleviate the backlog are ongoing, but no timeline for resolution has been provided.
