HOSAM ABDEL NABI (ABU DHABI)
A report by the Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) revealed that the volume of non-oil foreign trade through Abu Dhabi ports grew by 8% year-on-year in May, reaching approximately Dh31.541 billion. The report, issued on Wednesday, confirmed that Abu Dhabi’s total exports increased by 12% in May to Dh18.37 billion. This included a 7% growth in exports to Dh13.1 billion and a 25% increase in re-exports to Dh5.262 billion.
Abu Dhabi’s imports grew by 4% in May, reaching Dh13.169 billion, resulting in a trade balance surplus of around Dh5.201 billion. The report, titled “Non-oil Trade Through the Ports of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi According to the Harmonized System for the Month of May,” highlighted that plastics and their products were the top export category at Dh893.28 million, followed by chemical and related products at Dh522.57 million, food products at Dh407.69 million, and recording, audio, and video equipment at Dh236.9 million.
Transportation equipment was the leading category for re-exports through Abu Dhabi ports, valued at Dh1.19 billion, followed by recording devices, audio, and video equipment at Dh1.12 billion, and pearls, precious stones, and metals at Dh651.36 million. Key non-oil imports included recording devices and accessories at Dh3.378 billion, transportation equipment at Dh2.613 billion, and ordinary metals at Dh2.316 billion.
Regarding export markets, Switzerland was the top recipient of Abu Dhabi’s non-oil exports in May, with Dh5.486 billion, followed by Saudi Arabia (Dh2.268 billion), India (Dh1.263 billion), the USA (Dh468.22 million), and Kuwait (Dh391.77 million). Saudi Arabia was also the leading destination for re-exports, receiving Dh2.12 billion, followed by Qatar (Dh680.23 million), Kuwait (Dh406.89 million), Hong Kong (Dh323.73 million), and Sudan (Dh268.16 million).
The report stated that the most significant non-oil imports to Abu Dhabi in May came from China (Dh1.332 billion), Japan (Dh1.274 billion), Saudi Arabia (Dh1.185 billion), the USA (Dh1.067 billion), and Congo (Dh919.69 million).
In terms of trade with Arab countries, Abu Dhabi’s exports in May amounted to Dh3.89 billion, with re-exports at Dh4.169 billion, and imports from Arab countries at Dh2.179 billion. Exports by air were valued at Dh7.543 billion, by land at Dh2.861 billion, and by sea at Dh2.703 billion. Sea transport accounted for imports worth Dh7.68 billion, land transport for Dh3.11 billion, and air transport for Dh2.369 billion.
The SCAD report noted that businesses were responsible for the majority of non-oil exports (Dh18.223 billion) and imports (Dh12.78 billion) in May, compared to individuals and government entities.