DP World has completed the first phase of its Living Seawalls installation at Jebel Ali Port, deploying 1,000 eco-engineered panels that transform flat seawall surfaces into habitats where marine life can thrive and enhance biodiversity, setting a new benchmark for sustainable port infrastructure in the region.
Developed in partnership with Living Seawalls, a science-led programme of the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, the project will scale to 6,000 modular panels by 2028. Once complete, it will form the region’s longest continuous waterfront structure dedicated to supporting functioning ecosystems.
Each modular panel features varied shapes and textures that mimic natural rock formations, allowing marine species to settle and grow.
Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO and Managing Director, DP World GCC, said: “Ports play a critical role in coastal resilience and this programme shows how infrastructure can support trade while restoring natural habitats. By integrating science-based designs across our ports, we are helping marine life to establish and thrive in areas traditionally limited in habitat value.”
Biodiversity monitoring at Jebel Ali will begin in 2026 to support global knowledge on how ports can support ecological resilience.
The project contributes to DP World’s Ocean Strategy and supports global biodiversity targets under the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The Jebel Ali installation builds on DP World’s pilot at the Port of Callao in Peru, where 66 species across 12 marine groups were recorded over 12 months, including seven species found only on the Living Seawalls surfaces. No invasive species were detected and both algal diversity and ecological functionality increased, reinforcing the benefits of nature-inspired panel design.
DP World continues to expand nature-positive projects across its global portfolio, including support for the Dubai Reef initiative, circular economy models in port waste management and additional ocean-focused programmes. As coastal cities face growing environmental pressures, the Jebel Ali Living Seawalls project offers a scalable model for integrating science, sustainability and port development.
