DP World installs 1,000 Living Seawalls at the port

DP World installs first 1,000 Living Seawalls panels at Jebel Ali Port

Dubai, UAE – December 10, 2025: DP World has completed the first phase of the installation of Living Seawalls at Jebel Ali Port, having installed 1,000 ecologically designed panels. These panels transform flat port walls into habitats where marine life can thrive, promoting biodiversity. This sets a new standard for sustainable port infrastructure in the region.

The project was developed in collaboration with Living Seawalls, a science-led program of the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. By 2028, the number of modular panels is expected to increase to 6,000. Upon completion, it will be the longest continuous shoreline structure in the region, aimed at supporting functioning ecosystems.

Each modular panel features different shapes and textures modeled after natural rock formations, allowing marine species to settle and grow.

Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO and Managing Director of DP World GCC, stated: “Ports play a crucial role in coastal resilience, and this program demonstrates how infrastructure can support trade while restoring natural habitats. By integrating scientifically informed designs into our ports, we help marine fauna establish and thrive in areas that traditionally offer little habitat.”

Biodiversity monitoring at Jebel Ali Port will begin in 2026 to support global knowledge on how ports can promote ecological resilience.

The project contributes to DP World’s ocean strategy and supports global biodiversity goals under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The installation in Jebel Ali builds on a pilot project at the Port of Callao in Peru, where 66 species from 12 marine groups were documented over a 12-month period, including seven species that occur exclusively on the Living Seawalls surfaces. No invasive species were found, and both algal diversity and ecological functionality increased, highlighting the benefits of the nature-inspired panel design.

DP World continues to expand nature-positive projects in its global portfolio, including support for the Dubai Reef Initiative, circular economy models in port waste management, and other ocean-related programs. Given the growing environmental pressures in coastal cities, the Living Seawalls project in Jebel Ali offers a scalable model for integrating science, sustainability, and port development.