Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have forced a specialised steel plate shipment originally destined for Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi to be diverted to Jaigarh Port on India’s western coast. The incident delayed the delivery of raw materials to UAE steel pipe manufacturer Al Gharbia Pipe by approximately two months.
According to Steel World Review, citing Khaleej Times, Al Gharbia Pipe, a manufacturer of large-diameter steel pipes based in Abu Dhabi, announced that a shipment of specialised steel plates required by its plant had been unloaded at India’s Jaigarh Port instead of the UAE’s Khalifa Port due to shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz region.
Following the vessel’s diversion and unloading in India, further coordination and the arrangement of another vessel were required to transport the shipment to its original destination. This process added approximately two months to the delivery time.
Limitations of Alternative UAE Ports for Steel Plate Shipments
According to Al Gharbia Pipe’s Commercial Director, Fujairah Port, located on the Gulf of Oman coast, cannot fully replace Khalifa Port due to limitations in storage space and the dimensions of the shipments.
Using alternative routes through Oman and Saudi Arabia could also add several weeks to the transportation and delivery of raw materials.
The specialised steel plates used by the plant are sourced from European countries, Japan, South Korea and China. According to company officials, this type of steel plate is not currently produced domestically in the UAE.
Production Decline and Delays in Oil and Gas Projects
Al Gharbia Pipe operates in Abu Dhabi’s KEZAD industrial zone and has an annual steel pipe production capacity of 400,000 tonnes.
The company has produced more than 250,000 tonnes of pipes annually over the past two years, but expects its total production in 2026 to reach approximately 60,000 tonnes.
Company officials have identified delays in oil and gas projects and a decline in related orders as the main factors behind the production downturn.
Al Gharbia Pipe also expects its production to increase to approximately 200,000 tonnes in 2027 following the implementation of new oil and gas pipeline projects.
Source: UAE-based newspaper Khaleej Times, published on 28 October 2026, written by Haneen Dajani. The report is based on statements by Junia Kaku, Chief Commercial Officer of Al Gharbia Pipe.
