Hamriyah port is Sharjah's industrial deep-water port, built inside the Hamriyah Free Zone about 20 km northeast of Sharjah city. It handles general cargo, steel, project cargo, oil products and some containers, with a 14 m main harbour and a 7 m inner harbour. This guide covers the berths, the cargo the port takes, the free zone customs rules and how we plan a shipment through Hamriyah.
Hamriyah port at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Hamriyah Free Zone, about 20 km northeast of Sharjah city, west coast of the UAE |
| Port authority | Sharjah Ports Authority (listed by Cogoport as Sharjah Sea Ports) |
| Free zone authority | Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA), set up in 1995 by Emiri decree |
| Customs | Sharjah Customs, Hamriyah Customs Centre, open daily 08:00 to 20:00 |
| UN/LOCODE | AEHAM (a separate code, AEHZP, also appears for "Hamriya Free Zone Port") |
| Main harbour depth | 14 m deep-water port (HFZA) |
| Inner harbour depth | 7 m (HFZA); Wikipedia gives 5 to 7 m at the inner berths |
| Approach channel | 4 nautical miles long, at least 180 m wide, 15 m deep |
| General cargo berths | Four, with 1,137 m of quay in total (Oxford Business Group, 2018) |
| Oil terminals | Three dedicated oil terminals inside the main harbour |
| Pilotage | Compulsory; Port Control listens on VHF 16 and 72 |
| Main cargo | General cargo, steel, heavy equipment, oil lubricants and gas products, containers, project cargo |
| Free zone land | 30 million sq m of industrial land |
| Import duty | 5% of CIF value on dutiable goods entering the UAE market |
| VAT | 5% standard rate |
Where is Hamriyah port and how do ships reach it?
Hamriyah Port sits on the UAE's west coast, north of Sharjah city, and the free zone around it borders Ajman. Sharjah Customs places its Hamriyah centre about 20 km northeast of Sharjah city. If your factory or warehouse is in the free zone, the port gate is a short internal drive, not a cross-city truck move.
Ships approach through a dredged channel. The Sharjah Ports Authority tariff puts the fairway buoy at 25°32'N 55°25'E and describes a channel 4 nautical miles long, at least 180 m wide and 15 m deep. Port Control keeps a 24-hour watch on VHF channels 16 and 72, and pilotage is compulsory for every ship entering or leaving Sharjah's ports.
Do not confuse Hamriyah with Mina Al Hamriya
Mina Al Hamriya is a different port in Dubai, run by DP World. Hamriyah Port is in Sharjah. Booking systems also use two codes in Sharjah's Hamriyah area, AEHAM and AEHZP. Check the port name and code on your booking and bill of lading before the cargo sails, because a wrong code can send your cargo to the wrong emirate.
Which harbours and berths does Hamriyah port have?
Hamriyah has two working areas: a main deep-water harbour for ocean ships and an inner harbour for smaller craft and ship repair. Published figures differ from source to source, so we show each one with its source.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Main port depth | 14 m | Hamriyah Free Zone Authority |
| Inner harbour depth | 7 m | Hamriyah Free Zone Authority |
| Channel depth | 15 m | Sharjah Ports Authority tariff (revised February 2019) |
| Channel and cargo pier depth | 14 to 15.2 m | Cogoport port data |
| Container berths | Two terminals with 14 m alongside | Wikipedia |
| General cargo berths | Four berths, 1,137 m of quay | Oxford Business Group (2018) |
| Main harbour vessel limits | 12.6 m draft, 230 m LOA, 60,000 DWT | ShipNext vessel data |
| Inner harbour vessel limits | 120 m LOA, 7.0 m draft | ShipNext vessel data |
A simple rule: if your ship draws more than about 12 m, ask the carrier or ship agent to confirm the berth and draft with the port before fixing. Depth at the channel is not the same as depth at your berth.
Main harbour
The main harbour takes general cargo ships, bulk carriers, tankers and container feeders. Oxford Business Group counted four general cargo berths with 1,137 m of quay, and said its customers include project cargo shippers, steel traders and industries in Hamriyah and the neighbouring emirates. Several oil traders in the free zone run pipelines from the general cargo berths to their storage tanks.
Inner harbour and ship repair
The inner harbour lies in the north of the free zone and serves ship repair, dry docks and small shipbuilding. Damen Shipyards Sharjah has worked there since 2014, building tugs and other vessels up to 120 m long. HFZA's maritime sector also leases land with direct sea access from 5,000 sq m, used for offshore fabrication, rig work, repair and ship chandlery.
Oil terminals and offshore mooring
The main harbour has three dedicated oil terminals. ShipNext also lists a single buoy mooring offshore of Hamriyah for crude and condensate, and notes the port was first built for LPG exports. If you ship liquid cargo, the terminal or tank operator in the zone, not the general cargo quay, usually decides your berth window.
What cargo can you ship through Hamriyah port?
Sharjah Customs lists the cargo its Hamriyah centre clears: heavy equipment, containers, oil lubricants and gas products, general cargo and personal parcels. Here is how each type usually moves.
| Cargo type | How it moves | What to plan |
|---|---|---|
| Steel coils, plates, beams | Breakbulk on general cargo ships at the main harbour | Stowage plan, lashing, direct delivery or yard space |
| Heavy equipment and machinery | Breakbulk or flat racks, ship's gear or mobile cranes | Lift weights, lifting points, trailer type, inspection slot |
| Project cargo for free zone plants | Heavy-lift or breakbulk vessel, short truck move inside the zone | Drawings, lift plan, route survey inside the zone |
| Oil lubricants and gas products | Tanker berths and oil terminals, or drums and ISO tanks | Tank or terminal booking, DG approval, surveys |
| Containers | Feeder calls, or another UAE port plus truck | Which port the carrier really calls, truck booking |
| Food for the Food Park | Containers or breakbulk | Health approvals before discharge |
| Marine equipment and spares | Containers or breakbulk to yards in the inner harbour | Consignee in the maritime zone, delivery address |
Hamriyah Free Zone: what it means for your cargo
HFZA says the zone offers 30 million sq m of industrial land and groups its tenants into six sectors: oil and gas, Food Park, industrial manufacturing, maritime industry, global logistics park and an accelerator hub. Wikipedia describes it as the UAE's second-largest free zone after Jafza. Those sectors explain the port's cargo mix: steel and plant equipment in, oil products and manufactured goods out.
| Facility | What HFZA lists | Why it matters for shipping |
|---|---|---|
| Warehouses | Standard units of 200, 400 and 600 sq m, 7 m and 9 m ceiling heights, loading bay and roller doors | Container stuffing and stripping can happen inside the zone |
| Industrial land | Plots from 2,500 sq m on 25-year renewable leases, some sea-facing | Large plants can receive heavy lifts close to the quay |
| Maritime land | Plots from 5,000 sq m with access to the sea | Fabricated modules can load out near the water |
| On-site services | Customs office, Sharjah Civil Defence, banks, 24-hour security | Inspections and DG checks happen without leaving the zone |
In 2010 the zone signed an AED 800 million contract meant to raise port capacity by up to 80%, according to Wikipedia. We have not found a current official throughput figure for Hamriyah alone, so we do not quote one.
Container shipping to Hamriyah port: FCL, LCL and feeders
Hamriyah takes containers, and Sharjah Customs lists them among the cargo it clears there. Most container volume in the area still runs through larger hubs. Cogoport's port-pair data for Hamriyah shows lanes with Indian ports such as Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Hazira and Kolkata, which fits the steel and industrial trade the zone serves.
FCL
For a full container, the question is whether your carrier calls Hamriyah directly. If it does, the box lands inside the free zone. If it does not, the box discharges at another UAE port and moves to Hamriyah by truck. We compare both and quote the cheaper working route. For a mainline call, see our Jebel Ali port shipping guide.
LCL
LCL cargo is normally consolidated at a larger hub and delivered to Hamriyah by truck after devanning. Plan for the extra handling and a delivery order from the consolidator. If you are unsure which suits your volume, read our FCL vs LCL guide.
Container from Dubai to Hamriyah
Shipping from Dubai to Hamriyah is a road move, not a sea leg. A container that lands at Jebel Ali for a Hamriyah consignee needs customs paperwork for the transfer between emirates or into the free zone, a truck and a gate slot at both ends. We arrange the trucking and the documents.
[AMIR-FACT: our usual truck transit time and lead time from Jebel Ali to Hamriyah Free Zone, and which carriers or feeders we use for direct Hamriyah calls]
Breakbulk, heavy-lift and project cargo at Hamriyah
Breakbulk is where Hamriyah earns its place. The port serves steel traders, project cargo shippers and plants inside the free zone, and Sharjah Customs lists heavy equipment first among the cargo it clears at Hamriyah.
The Sharjah Ports Authority tariff says heavy-lift cargo is loaded or discharged only on a direct delivery basis. That means your truck or trailer must be at the quay when the piece comes off the ship. If the receiver is not ready, the lift waits and the ship's time costs money.
- Send piece dimensions, weights and lifting points before booking.
- Confirm whether the ship's gear or a shore crane does the lift.
- Book the trailer and any escort for the same shift as discharge.
- Survey the route inside the zone for turning space and overhead lines.
Our break bulk shipping service covers the booking, lashing plan and quay delivery, and our guide to breakbulk documents and port process in the UAE lists the papers you need.
Dangerous goods and liquid cargo at Hamriyah port
Hamriyah handles oil lubricants, gas products and chemicals, so DG cargo is common there. The rules are strict and approvals come first.
| Rule | Source | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Hazardous and classed cargo needs approval and permission to discharge from the Ministry of Interior and/or Ministry of Defence | Sharjah Ports Authority tariff | Apply through the agent before the ship arrives |
| Classed cargo is discharged or loaded on direct delivery only | Sharjah Ports Authority tariff | Truck on the quay at discharge, no yard storage |
| Ship's agent files a dangerous goods list with the port | Sharjah Ports Authority tariff | Match UN numbers, classes and weights to the manifest |
| IMO Class 1 (explosives) listed as not acceptable | ShipNext port data | Route Class 1 elsewhere or confirm with the port first |
| Foodstuffs, medicines and related cargo need Health Department approval before discharge or delivery | Sharjah Ports Authority tariff | Get the approval with your import documents |
For DG, we prepare the IMDG declaration, check the safety data sheet and segregation, and line up the direct delivery truck. See our dangerous goods shipping service and the guide to dangerous goods customs clearance in the UAE.
Customs at Hamriyah port: free zone and mainland rules
Sharjah Customs runs the Hamriyah Customs Centre inside the port and free zone, open every day from 08:00 to 20:00. National UAE rules apply: 5% duty on the CIF value of dutiable goods and 5% VAT. Our Sharjah port shipping guide covers the general Sharjah import documents in full, so here we focus on what changes because Hamriyah is a free zone.
Which documents does each free zone move need?
| Movement | Documents Sharjah Customs asks for |
|---|---|
| Into the free zone from outside the UAE | Customs bill from the terminal of arrival, invoice, packing list |
| Into the free zone from inside the UAE | Invoice |
| From the free zone to the local UAE market | Entry bill issued by the free zone customs, importer invoice, selling invoice, packing list |
| From the free zone to outside the UAE | Entry bill issued by the free zone customs, importer invoice, selling invoice, packing list |
The decision rule is simple. Goods that stay in the zone or leave the UAE again do not pay UAE duty on entry. Goods sold into the UAE market pay duty and VAT when they leave the zone.
Transit and re-export deposits
- Transit: Sharjah Customs takes a 5% deposit, valid for one month. Containers are sealed before they leave, and the deposit is refunded when the exit documents are approved.
- Re-export: a 5% deposit on CIF value plus registration fees, held for six months and refunded on proof of export from any UAE customs point.
- Missing documents on import: a Dhs 1,000 deposit until you produce them.
We prepare the declaration and documents, and file through a licensed clearing agent where your company does not hold its own customs code.
How to ship through Hamriyah port, step by step
- Send us the cargo details: commodity, HS code, weights, dimensions, DG class if any, and the consignee's address in or outside the zone.
- We check which carriers call Hamriyah for your cargo type and compare with a call at another UAE port plus trucking.
- For DG or heavy lifts, we start the approvals and direct delivery plan before booking.
- We book space and confirm the port code (AEHAM) and berth on the booking.
- The shipper loads at origin. We check the bill of lading, invoice and packing list against each other.
- Before arrival, we prepare the free zone or import declaration and line up trucks.
- On arrival, the cargo is discharged, inspected at the Hamriyah Customs Centre if selected, and delivered.
- For exports, we book the truck, file the export declaration and deliver to the quay before the cut-off.
Talk to our Dubai freight forwarding team if you want us to run the whole chain.
Hamriyah vs other UAE ports: which one should you use?
| Your situation | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Plant or warehouse in Hamriyah Free Zone, breakbulk or project cargo | Hamriyah Port | Cargo lands inside the zone, short quay-to-plant move |
| Containers for Sharjah city or the northern emirates | Port Khalid, Sharjah | Regular container feeders and a container freight station |
| Mainline container service from Asia or Europe | Jebel Ali | Largest network of direct calls |
| Bulk or breakbulk for Ras Al Khaimah | Saqr Port in Ras Al Khaimah | Closer to RAK plants and quarries |
| Abu Dhabi consignee, containers or project cargo | Khalifa Port | Avoids a long truck move across emirates |
Checklist before you ship through Hamriyah
- Port name and code (AEHAM) checked on the booking and bill of lading.
- Carrier confirmed to call Hamriyah, or a truck leg planned from another port.
- Consignee's free zone licence and address on the documents.
- HS code, invoice and packing list match.
- DG approvals requested and direct delivery truck booked.
- Heavy-lift drawings and lift plan shared with the ship and the receiver.
- Health or other permits ready for food, medicines and regulated goods.
- Inspection planned inside the 08:00 to 20:00 customs hours.
Common mistakes at Hamriyah port
- Booking to Mina Al Hamriya in Dubai instead of Hamriyah in Sharjah.
- Assuming a carrier calls Hamriyah because it calls Sharjah.
- Arriving with DG cargo before the ministry approval is in place.
- Sending a heavy lift with no trailer at the quay, when the port only allows direct delivery.
- Selling free zone goods into the UAE market without the exit declaration and duty payment.
- Using the channel depth to plan a deep-draft ship without checking the berth draft.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Hamriyah port?
Hamriyah Port is inside the Hamriyah Free Zone in Sharjah, on the UAE's west coast, about 20 km northeast of Sharjah city. The free zone borders Ajman.
How deep is Hamriyah port?
The Hamriyah Free Zone Authority lists a 14 m deep-water main port and a 7 m inner harbour. The approach channel is 15 m deep, 4 nautical miles long and at least 180 m wide.
What is the port code for Hamriyah?
The UN/LOCODE most used for Hamriyah Port is AEHAM. Some systems also list AEHZP for the free zone port, so check the code your carrier uses.
Is Hamriyah port the same as Mina Al Hamriya?
No. Hamriyah Port is in Sharjah, inside the Hamriyah Free Zone. Mina Al Hamriya is a separate port in Dubai run by DP World.
What cargo does Hamriyah port handle?
Sharjah Customs clears heavy equipment, containers, oil lubricants and gas products, general cargo and personal parcels at Hamriyah. The port also serves steel traders, project cargo and three oil terminals.
Can I ship dangerous goods through Hamriyah port?
Yes, with approval. Sharjah's port tariff says hazardous and classed cargo needs approval from the Ministry of Interior and/or Ministry of Defence and is handled on direct delivery only.
Do I pay customs duty on goods landed at Hamriyah?
Not while goods stay in the free zone or are re-exported. If they move into the UAE market, 5% duty on CIF value and 5% VAT apply.
What are the customs hours at Hamriyah?
The Hamriyah Customs Centre is open daily from 08:00 to 20:00. Plan inspections and releases inside those hours.
Get a quote for shipping through Hamriyah port
Send your cargo details through our freight rate inquiry form and we will come back with a routing and price for Hamriyah. If you have a heavy lift, DG or free zone question, contact our team first and we will talk it through.
Sources
- Hamriyah Free Zone Authority: Infrastructure and facilities (port and inner harbour depths, land, warehouses, on-site services)
- Hamriyah Free Zone Authority: Maritime industry (sea-access plots, licensed activities)
- Hamriyah Free Zone Authority: Home (established 1995, 30 million sq m, six sectors)
- Sharjah Ports Authority: Tariff revised February 2019 (Hamriyah channel, VHF, pilotage, DG and heavy-lift rules, health approvals)
- Sharjah Customs: Hamriyah Customs Centre (location, cargo cleared, hours)
- Sharjah Customs: Free zone procedures
- Sharjah Customs: Transit procedures
- Sharjah Customs: Re-export procedures
- Sharjah Customs: Import procedures (5% duty, deposits)
- Federal Tax Authority: VAT (5% standard rate)
- Oxford Business Group: Sharjah port development, 2018 (berths, quay length, oil terminals, Damen Shipyards Sharjah)
- Wikipedia: Hamriyah Port (container berths, inner harbour)
- Wikipedia: Hamriyah Free Zone (ranking, 2010 port contract, borders)
- Cogoport: Hamriya (AEHAM) port data (authority, depths, port pairs)
- ShipNext: Hamriyah Free Zone Port (vessel limits, inner harbour, offshore mooring, Class 1)
- MagicPort: Hamriya (AEHAM) and nearby AEHZP code
Reviewed: 10 November 2026