SHARJAH, 3rd September, 2026 (WAM) -- Khorfakkan Port, part of the Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority, has welcomed MSC MARIELLA, one of the world’s largest container vessels, with a capacity of 24,346 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
Operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the ultra-large container vessel (ULCV) measures around 400 metres in length and more than 61 metres in width.
Its arrival highlights Khorfakkan Port’s capability to accommodate the latest generation of mega container ships and meet their operational and logistics requirements.
The port’s strategic location on the UAE’s eastern coast provides direct access to the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean and places it close to major international shipping routes connecting Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Arabian Gulf, East Africa and global markets.
The arrival also reflects the development vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, which has supported infrastructure and economic development across Khorfakkan and the Eastern Region.
Gulftainer operates the container terminal at Khorfakkan Port, which has six berths extending approximately 1,880 metres, a draught of up to 16 metres and 18 ship-to-shore container cranes.
The terminal currently has an annual capacity of 3.5 million TEUs, with development plans targeting 5 million TEUs before phased expansion to 7 million and eventually 10 million TEUs.
The port operates around the clock and provides container handling, storage, customs clearance, road transport, refrigerated container services and other technical and logistics support.
Its capabilities are supported by logistics facilities being developed by the Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority, including Al Sajaa Logistics Complex and Al Dhaid Logistics Complex, strengthening links between seaports, storage centres and inland markets.
The Authority said the arrival of MSC MARIELLA reflects growing confidence among major international shipping lines in Sharjah’s ports ecosystem and demonstrates the emirate’s readiness to accommodate increasingly large container vessels.
It added that ongoing expansion will further strengthen Khorfakkan Port’s position as a major regional hub for container and transshipment services and support Sharjah and the UAE’s competitiveness in trade, maritime transport and logistics.