People ask me a lot: “Konstantin, what are they building on that peninsula next to Port Rashid?” That’s Dubai Maritime City. For years it was mostly about ship repair and marine companies, but in recent years Danube, DAMAC, Deyaar and Beyond have moved in and are building residential towers by the water. About 3,010 apartment deals went through in the last twelve months. So let’s go through it: what it costs, what’s already nearby and what’s still being built.
In shortDubai Maritime City is a freehold area on a reclaimed peninsula between Port Rashid and Dubai Drydocks, with DP World as master developer. An off-plan one-bedroom costs about AED 2.55M and a two-bedroom about AED 4.39M, at an average of about AED 3,250 per sq ft. Prices in the same projects rose 1.4% over the year. Annual rent is about AED 89K for a one-bedroom and AED 134K for a two-bedroom. 99% of deals are off-plan. There is no metro in the area; the nearest station, Al Ghubaiba, is 10–15 minutes by car.
Where Dubai Maritime City is
It’s a peninsula out in the sea in the old part of the city, between Port Rashid and the Dubai Drydocks shipyard. On one side you have Bur Dubai and Al Shindagha, on the other Jumeirah 1. Bur Dubai is about 5 minutes by car, Downtown and DIFC around 15–20 minutes, and DXB airport around 20 minutes.
A bit of history. The project was launched in 2004 on reclaimed land, about 2.3 million square metres. In 2017 the area passed to DP World, and a new master plan came out in 2019. Inside there’s an industrial part with ship repair and marine businesses, and a residential part by the water, which is where most of the building is happening now.
The master developer is DP World. The residential towers are built by private developers: Omniyat and its Beyond brand, Danube, DAMAC and Deyaar. It’s freehold, so a foreigner buys the apartment outright.
Transport. There’s no metro in the area. The nearest Green Line station is Al Ghubaiba, about 4 km away, 10–15 minutes by car. You leave the area via Al Mina Road and then onto Sheikh Rashid Road and Sheikh Zayed Road. Keep in mind there’s essentially one way in, and at rush hour it can get busy.
Dubai Maritime City prices and rental yields in 2026
I don’t take these numbers from listings. They come from Dubai Land Department (DLD) open data, the same data we use in DXB Radar.
| Apartment deals over 12 months | about 3,010, 99% of them off-plan |
| Off-plan: studio / 1 bed / 2 beds | about AED 1.38M / 2.55M / 4.39M |
| Off-plan: 3 beds | about AED 6.1M |
| Average off-plan price | about AED 3,250 per sq ft |
| Annual rent: 1 bed / 2 beds | AED 89K / 134K |
| Price change over the year, same projects | +1.4% (almost unchanged over the last three months) |
| Service charge | about AED 17 per sq ft a year |
Let’s do the maths. An average off-plan one-bedroom here costs about AED 2.55M. At about AED 3,250 per foot, that’s roughly 790 sq ft. With a service charge of about AED 17 per foot, budget roughly AED 13K a year for upkeep once the building is handed over.
I’ll be straight about the net yield: it’s too early to calculate it for this area. There are only a handful of finished residential buildings, almost every deal is off-plan, and there isn’t proper data yet on resales of ready apartments. Once Mar Casa, Harbour Lights and Oceanz are handed over, the numbers will appear and we’ll add them to DXB Radar.
On prices the picture is calm. Over the year, apartments in the same projects went up 1.4%, and over the last three months prices have held flat.
Look, almost everything here is sold on a developer payment plan. You pay in instalments and wait for the building to be finished. That’s a normal route for an investor, as long as you understand the timelines and pick a developer who has handed over on time before.
Infrastructure
- Shops: there are hardly any supermarkets inside the area. The nearest big one is Carrefour at City Centre Al Shindagha, about 10 minutes by car. Beyond that there’s BurJuman, Al Ghurair Centre and Al Khaleej Centre in Bur Dubai and Deira.
- Restaurants: there are a few cafés and restaurants in the area. Next door is Mina Rashid with the Queen Elizabeth 2 liner, which has a hotel and restaurants.
- Hospitals and clinics: there’s no hospital in the area itself. The nearest big private one is American Hospital Dubai in Oud Metha, about 15–20 minutes by car. There are Aster and other clinics in Bur Dubai.
- Work: the area is home to maritime businesses, ship repair and shipyards. In May 2026 the new AED 160M Maritime Business Centre opened here, housing Dubai Maritime City’s headquarters.
Schools near Dubai Maritime City
There are no schools in the area itself; children go to Oud Metha and Jumeirah. I’m giving ratings from the latest KHDA inspections, KHDA being Dubai’s school regulator.
- Jumeira Baccalaureate School in Jumeirah — IB, “Very Good”, about 15 minutes by car.
- Dubai English Speaking School in Oud Metha — British primary school, “Outstanding”, about 15 minutes by car.
- The Indian High School in Oud Metha — Indian CBSE curriculum, “Very Good”, about 15 minutes by car.
Buildings and projects
Ready: the main finished residential building is Anwa by Omniyat, 48 floors and 229 apartments, completed in December 2021. The rest of what’s finished in the area is offices, staff accommodation and the industrial zone.
Under construction:
- Mar Casa by Deyaar — a 52-storey tower with about 580 apartments, from studios to penthouses. Handover is planned for the end of 2026.
- Harbour Lights by DAMAC — 54 storeys, mostly two- and three-bedroom apartments. The structure was topped out in July 2026, with handover planned for 2027.
- Oceanz by Danube — three 50-storey towers, about 1,250 apartments. At the end of August 2026 construction was about halfway done, with the developer planning handover in 2027.
- Beyond projects (Omniyat’s brand) — an 8 million sq ft master plan: Saria, due in early 2028, plus Orise, Sensia and The Mural, which are at foundation and lower-floor stage.
- Chelsea Residences by DAMAC — three towers, about 620 apartments branded with Chelsea Football Club. Handover is planned for the end of 2029.
To see how a particular project is progressing, check the “Construction progress” section in DXB Radar. It shows completion percentages from Land Department data, not the developer’s word.
Pros and cons of Dubai Maritime City
I read reviews from Driven Properties, Property Finder, bhomes and other agencies, plus what residents of Anwa write. Add to that what we hear from clients who have viewed apartments here. The picture looks roughly like this.
What people like:
- Sea on three sides, with views of the water and the city.
- A central spot: Bur Dubai next door, Downtown and the airport about 20 minutes away.
- Quiet, with little through traffic.
- New buildings with pools and gyms.
What people complain about:
- No metro, so it’s inconvenient without a car.
- No schools, hospitals or big supermarkets of its own.
- Heavy construction, which means noise and dust.
- Trucks from the port and shipyard on the access roads, and traffic on the way out at rush hour.
My view
I find Dubai Maritime City interesting. There isn’t much seafront housing in the old part of the city, and here you have a whole peninsula with Bur Dubai, Downtown and the airport all close by. Prices rose over the year, demand is holding, and big developers are building here.
The area suits people buying for several years ahead who are ready to wait for handover. Mar Casa, Harbour Lights and Oceanz are due in 2026–2027, the first residents will move onto the peninsula, and shops, cafés and services will follow them. The new Maritime Business Centre is already bringing people here to work, and many of them will want to live nearby.
Keep in mind that while the area is being built, it’s not very convenient for a family with children: schools and big shops are 10–15 minutes away by car. For buying several years ahead, though, it’s interesting to come in now, while the area is only starting to fill up.
My team can show you real transaction prices for specific projects in Dubai Maritime City and help you compare developers and handover dates — leave a request.
Dubai Maritime City FAQ
How much does an apartment in Dubai Maritime City cost?
According to Land Department deals, an off-plan studio costs about AED 1.38M, a one-bedroom about AED 2.55M, a two-bedroom about AED 4.39M and a three-bedroom about AED 6.1M. The average price is about AED 3,250 per sq ft.
How much is rent in Dubai Maritime City?
A one-bedroom rents for about AED 89K a year and a two-bedroom for about AED 134K. The service charge in the area is about AED 17 per sq ft a year.
Is there a metro in Dubai Maritime City?
No. The nearest Green Line station, Al Ghubaiba, is about 4 km away, 10–15 minutes by car. It’s easier to live here with a car.
Which schools are near Dubai Maritime City?
There are none in the area itself. About 15 minutes away by car you have Dubai English Speaking School (British curriculum, KHDA “Outstanding”), Jumeira Baccalaureate School (IB, “Very Good”) and The Indian High School (CBSE, “Very Good”).
Dubai Maritime City or Dubai Creek Harbour — which to choose?
Dubai Creek Harbour is further along, with many finished buildings and a clear rental market. Dubai Maritime City is at an earlier stage, but you get a peninsula in the sea with the old city five minutes away. If you want an apartment that rents out straight away, look at Creek Harbour. If you’re happy to wait for handover for a seafront home in the centre, look at Maritime City.
All figures for Dubai areas: DXB Radar. This is not investment advice: for details, consult a broker of 2088 Real Estate.
Sources: Dubai Land Department open data (data.dubai), transactions up to 28.09.2026; Propsearch, area history; Driven Properties; Property Finder; bhomes; Engel & Völkers; Danube, Oceanz construction; ME Construction News, Beyond projects; Propsearch, Mar Casa; Propsearch, Harbour Lights; Propsearch, Chelsea Residences; KHDA ratings. Figures as of September 2026.
