U.A.E.
General Information for United Arab Emirates
Geo-political:
Capital City: Abu Dhabi.
Nationality: (noun) Emirati, (adjective) Emirati.
Population: 4,798,491.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 971.
Number of Internal Airports: 24.
Major Languages Spoken: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu.
Economy:
Currency: 1 UAE Dirham (AED) of 100 Fils.
Main Industries: Petroleum and petrochemicals, fishing, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, commercial
ship repair, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts and textiles.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Contiguous Zone: 24 n.m. Continental Shelf: 200 n.m. or to the edge of the continental
margin. Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 1,318 km.
Climate: Desert; cooler in eastern mountains.
Natural Resources: Petroleum and natural gas.
Natural Hazards: Frequent sand and dust storms.
Terrain: Flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland;
mountains in east.
Average Temperatures:
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 24° C | 12° C |
| June | 36° C | 25° C |
| September | 35° C | 24° C |
RESTRICTIONS:
UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, Circular 08 of 2023. Vessels registered in
the following countries are banned from UAE ports, anchorage areas, territorial waters
and economic zone unless they carry valid Classification Certificates, issued by the
International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) or by the Emirates Classification
Society (Tasneef): Albania, Belize, Congo Rep of, Equatorial Guinea, Korea DPR of,
Sao Tome & Principe, Tanzania, Tonga.
TANKER FACILITIES:
Reference to ministerial resolution No. (73) 2017 and with immediate effect: Foreign
flagged ships carrying crude oil and products in the UAE ports, territorial waters
and in the exclusive economic zone (excluding ships with navigation licences issued
by the Federal Transport Authority (FTA)) must fulfil the following conditions to
carry out load/discharge operations:
- ship is less than 25 years old from date of delivery
- classed by Classification Society member in the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) or emirates classification society (TASNEEF)
- double hulled
- constructed or adapted primarily to carry crude oil and products in bulk.
BALLAST:
ROPME Sea Area (RSA) Ballast Water Management:
In light of the
Ballast Water Management Convention that replaced the voluntary guidelines and considering the specific provisions of
the Convention, it is desired to take the necessary steps to mitigate the risk of
introduction of harmful species and also to harmonise national and regional policies
to address the issue of ballast water in the RSA.
The RSA is defined as extending between the following geographic positions:
- 16° 39.00′ N, 053° 03.50′ E
- 16° 00.00′ N, 053° 25.00′ E
- 17° 00.00′ N, 056° 30.00′ E
- 20° 30.00′ N, 060° 00.00′ E
- 25° 04.00′ N, 061° 25.00′ E
The area is the largest recipient of ship's ballast water. Annually, more than 50,000
vessels visit this area and discharge a large amount of ballast water. The RSA is
a semi-enclosed water body with intensely hot summers and short cool winters, extensive
air and water temperature fluctuation and relatively high salinity. It is also characterised
by high turbidity and low exchange of water with open waters. Therefore, there is
also a need to manage and control the spread of harmful aquatic species in ship's
ballast water by implementing a set of measures such as ballast water exchange outside
the RSA.
With effect from 1 November 2009, all ships, regardless of flag, will be required
to exchange and treat all ballast water taken up outside the RSA for the Protection
of the Marine Environment.
This comprises the states of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia
and the United Arab Emirates.
Taking into consideration the provisions of the Regulation B-4 of the
Ballast Water Management Convention, the following points should be observed.
- Vessels arriving from outside the RSA should undertake ballast water exchange en route over 200 n.m. from the nearest land and in water at least depth 200 m.
- If not possible for safety reasons, vessel should be expected to make minor deviations to areas within the 200 n.m. limit that can be identified as discharge area, so long as such areas are more than 50 n.m. from the nearest land in waters at least depth 200 m.
- If not achievable, ship shall provide the respective authority with the reason why it has not done so, and further ballast water management measures may be required, consistent with the Ballast Water Management Convention and other international laws.
Ballast water, that has been treated with a ballast water treatment system approved
in accordance with IMO standards, does not need to be exchanged.
Ships will be required to have on board an approved Ballast Water Management Plan
in accordance with the IMO standards. Ships should also have and maintain a Ballast
Water Record Book.
From the date specified above, all ships passing Strait of Hormuz will be required
to complete the Regional Ballast Water Reporting Form (RBWRF). The ships will be inspected
by the Port State Control Officers to ensure these regional requirements are fully
implemented.
For further assistance contact the local agent, respective Port Authority or MEMAC
as the Regional Centre at
[email protected] at the earliest opportunity.
memac-rsa.org/en/home
MEDICAL:
Healthcare facilities in the UAE are of a good standard, but you may be stopped from
using them without travel insurance or without the means to pay medical fees. You
may be prevented from leaving the UAE if you are unable to pay your medical bill.
Make sure you have adequate health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost
of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
To enter the UAE, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination
if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk
nathnacyfzone.org.uk/factsheet/65/countries-with-risk-of-yellow-fever-transmission
Medication:
There are strict rules about what medications you can bring into the UAE. You will
need approval from the UAE authorities to bring in medication that the UAE classes
as narcotic, psychotropic, controlled or semi-controlled.
You must get approval in advance from the UAE Ministry of Health to bring medication.
Details of controlled and semi-controlled medicines and to apply online to bring medication
to the UAE is available at
www.ede.gov.ae/w/issue-of-permit-to-import-medicines-for-personal-use
The UAE authorities advise that applications are normally processed within 5 working
days.
If you arrive in the UAE without evidence of prior approval, the medication will not
be allowed into the UAE, and you may be prosecuted. For information on controlled
medicines or the process for obtaining permission, contact the UAE Ministry of Health.
Email
[email protected] or T: +971 8001 1111.
In all cases, there are limits on the amount of medication you can bring into the
UAE legally. You can bring up to 3 months’ supply of medication as a visitor, reduced
to one month’s supply if the medication is included in the list requiring approval.
You do not need to complete this approval process if you are only changing planes
in a UAE airport and not passing through UAE immigration.
SURVEYORS:
Tasneef Maritime provides classification, certification and advisory services in the
UAE.
www.tasneefmaritime.ae
REGULATIONS:
Abu Dhabi Maritime.
www.admaritime.ae/port-documents/
Abu Dhabi Ports.
www.adports.ae/port-users/port-documents/tariffs-charges/
Dubai Maritime Authority.
pcfc.ae/en/Pages/aboutus-dmca.aspx
Dubai Ports Authority.
pcfc.ae/en/Pages/aboutus-dpa.aspx
Ras al Khaimah Ports.
rakports.ae/marine/
Sharjah Ports Authority.
sharjahports.gov.ae
HOLIDAYS:
New Year’s Day; Eid Al Fitr; Arafah Day; Eid Al Adha; Hijri New Year; Prophet Mohammed’s
Birthday; 2/3 December (UAE National Day).
Islamic holiday exact dates are subject to moon sighting and may differ from date
given.
CONSULS:
Details of foreign missions in the UAE can be found at
www.mofa.gov.ae/en/missions/foreign-missions-in-uae
SHORE LEAVE:
Pedestrian Crossings:
Only cross roads using designated pedestrian crossings. It is illegal to cross in
other places and you may face a fine or even imprisonment. Take care when crossing,
as vehicles often do not stop at zebra crossings marked on the roads.
Dress Code:
Dress modestly in public areas like shopping malls:
- women should cover shoulders and knees, and underwear should not be visible
- avoid transparent clothing or any attire that features imagery or phrases that could potentially offend others
- swimming attire should only be worn on beaches or at swimming pools
- cross-dressing is illegal.
Swearing and Rude Gestures:
It is illegal to swear and make rude gestures, including online, as they are considered
obscene acts. You could be jailed or deported. Take particular care when dealing with
the police and other officials.
Alcohol Laws and Bans:
Drinking or possessing alcohol is illegal in the Emirate of Sharjah.
It is illegal to drink or be under the influence of alcohol in a public place anywhere
in the UAE.
The legal age for purchasing and drinking alcohol is 21 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and in
all Northern Emirates except Sharjah, where drinking and having alcohol in your possession
is illegal.
If you are resident in Dubai and want to buy alcohol to drink at home, you must get
a liquor licence. Liquor licences are no longer required for residents in the other
Emirates excluding Sharjah. Liquor licences are not required in Dubai to purchase
and consume alcohol in licenced venues like hotel bars, restaurants, and pubs. Outside
licensed venues, you can only buy alcohol with a liquor licence from the two official
liquor distributors in Dubai (MMI and African & Eastern). Tourists can get a temporary
liquor licence which is valid for one month, from either supplier; this licence is
only for use in Dubai.
Liquor licences are not required for non-residents in the other Emirates where alcohol
is available. You can buy and drink alcohol in licensed venues, such as hotels, restaurants
and clubs.
Taxis:
Use only licensed taxis or other recognised forms of public transport, which includes
apps like “Careem”, “Uber” and Abu Dhabi Taxi. In Dubai authorised taxis are painted
cream with different coloured roofs; taxis with pink roofs have female drivers. In
Abu Dhabi taxis are painted silver/grey.
There are special taxis for women and children, which can be hailed from the roadside
or can be booked in advance.
REPATRIATION:
Citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries do not need a visa to enter the
UAE; GCC citizens must provide their passport or national ID issued by a GCC country
at the point of entry, and the validity of entry permits for GCC residents is 30 days.
Some other nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival while others need to apply for
a visa in advance.
All passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into the
UAE. If you are travelling through the UAE and not passing through immigration, your
passport must have an expiry date at least 3 months after the date you will transit.
Details of the Federal law concerning the entry and residence of foreigners can be
found at
uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1601
