New Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal to get 1.5km direct bridge link to main road

Travel times from Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal to Sheikh Zayed Road, the main arterial highway running the length of Dubai, will be slashed from 12 minutes to just three minutes thanks to the development of a new 1.5 kilometre bridge.

The plans to build a two-lane bridge capable of handling up to 6,000 cars per hour were revealed by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority on Monday, as part of a joint project with harbour owners, Shamal Holding.

The new bridge will connect Dubai Harbour directly with Sheikh Zayed Road, which provides easy access to all the city’s primary tourist attractions, such as Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Fountains, Dubai Mall, Dubai Frame and more.

In addition to its 120,000 square metre cruise terminal, Dubai Harbour is also home to a vast marina, residential developments and an array of leisure and retail facilities. Located between Palm Jumeirah and Bluewaters next to Dubai Marina, Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal is also the regional headquarters of Carnival Corporation.

The RTA did not reveal when work will begin on the scheme or when it is likely to be completed, but Abdulla Binhabtoor, Chief Portfolio Management Officer at Shamal Holding, said the plan will be a major boost to Dubai Harbour residents and visitors.

“Upon its completion, the bridge will provide free traffic flow to and from Dubai Harbour, which occupies an exceptional location on the scenic seafront of the emirate of Dubai,” he said.

“This project is part of our commitment to building extraordinary residential and tourist communities, in line with the urban and architectural development plans of Dubai,” he added.

Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal is the primary terminal used by all Carnival Corporation cruise ships calling in the city, while other lines continue to use the Dubai Cruise Terminal in Port Rashid, further down the coast toward the Dubai Creek.

Carnival Corporation cruise lines homeporting in Dubai annually include Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises, while regular callers each year on repositioning and grand voyages include Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises, Seabourn, and Celebrity Cruises.

AIDA Cruises was the first cruise line to carry passengers to the new cruise terminal in November, 2021 and it has since had two fully operational cruise seasons. 

The Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal is the largest, standalone dedicated twin cruise terminal centre in the Eastern hemisphere, capable of serving two ships simultaneously on its more than 900-metre quayside, and can handle more than 3,000 passengers per hour.