Dubai Customs processed 18.2 million customs transactions through its Air Cargo Centers in the first half of 2026, a 53 percent increase from the same period last year, as e-commerce drove a growing volume of smaller, faster-moving shipments through the emirate, according to a Dubai Customs statement cited by Gulf News.

The air cargo centers handled approximately 1.3 million tonnes of shipments in the first six months of 2026, up from around 886,000 tonnes in the same period of 2025—an increase of nearly 47 percent.

The sharpest growth came from the Free Zone Department within the air cargo sector, which completed around 17.7 million customs transactions in H1 2026, compared with roughly 10.9 million a year earlier, a 62 percent rise. More than 6.2 million postal parcels were also processed during the period.

"E-commerce relies on large volumes of small shipments and rapid movement from order to delivery, making the efficiency of customs procedures a core part of the digital trade cycle and the experience of both businesses and consumers," Dubai Customs said.

Separately, Dubai Customs raised the threshold for customs duty exemptions on eligible goods in cross-border e-commerce shipments to Dh1,000, effective August 3, 2026, a move it said would help reduce costs and improve operational efficiency for companies. The authority has also exempted certain personal-use returned goods from customs duties, provided the duties were previously paid and the goods are returned within 60 days—an exemption that excludes tobacco products, e-cigarettes, nicotine liquids, and alcoholic beverages.

Mohammed Al Ghaffari, Executive Director of the Customs Inspection Division at Dubai Customs, said the results reflected a shift in the authority's role. "The role of customs work is no longer limited to processing transactions — it now extends to supporting trade and economic growth, improving the business environment, reducing time and cost, and strengthening Dubai's ability to attract trade flows and investments," he said.

Cargo volumes rose sharply during the US-Iran war, according to the report. Imported goods cleared through Cargo Village at Dubai International Airport and the Air Cargo Center at Al Maktoum International Airport reached 48.26 million kilograms in May 2026, up nearly 82 percent from about 26.56 million kilograms in January, with maximum daily volumes climbing to 2.11 million kilograms from 1.24 million kilograms over the same period.

Abdulla Ahmad Alblooshi, Director of Air Cargo Centers Management at Dubai Customs, said the authority was focused on cutting the time between a shipment's arrival and its entry into the market. "The speed of customs procedures has become a core part of trade competitiveness," he said, adding that the centres were being equipped with smart technologies and AI applications to speed up inspection and processing.

Source: Gulf News