Trade flowing through Dubai’s Hatta Customs Crossing jumped 175 per cent in the first six months of 2026, hitting Dh37.08 billion, as the major overland route to the region continues to gain strength. Hatta Border
It is the fastest rise since the UAE Customs Authority started recording trade values, with a 160 per cent increase in the number of trucks carrying commercial goods reported during the same period, compared to the same time last year.
Dubai Customs, which reported the figures, said the trend pointed to a changing pattern of trade in the region as businesses sought to use a key supply chain route, as an alternative to other options.
As well as goods, the number of passengers increased, with more than 919,000 people and just under 322,000 passenger cars passing through the crossing, compared with 41,831 loaded commercial vehicles a year ago, according to Dubai Customs. Movement of buses was up 77.5 per cent.
Officials credited a mix of policy and technology for enabling the crossing to absorb the surge without disruption. Abdulla bin Damithan, Chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, said the results reflect Dubai’s ability to adapt swiftly to shifting regional dynamics while keeping supply chains uninterrupted, reinforcing the emirate’s standing as a dependable global trade partner.
Among the measures behind the growth is the Green Corridor initiative, designed to keep goods flowing smoothly, alongside efforts to widen the pool of licensed logistics operators and draw new firms into the market, giving businesses more choice as global shipping costs climb.
Security has kept pace with volume. Hatta Customs Centre deployed 7,870 electronic seals in the first half of the year through its Shahin tracking system, which secures shipments without added cost to traders.
Dr Abdulla Busenad, Director General of Dubai Customs, linked the initiative to Dubai’s D33 economic agenda and its ambition to remain a leading global hub for trade and investment.
Despite the record volumes, oversight remained tight: customs inspectors recorded 129 seizures at the crossing during the same six-month period, as authorities balanced trade facilitation with safeguarding the wider economy. UAE Interact
