DP World to expand free trade zone in Dominican Republic

• Port operator to invest $100m
• Expansion in Caucedo
• Partnership with government

Dubai’s DP World, one of the world’s largest port operators, will invest another $100 million to expand its logistics and warehousing infrastructure at the Caucedo free trade zone on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic.

The investment is in addition to the $760 million committed in May 2025 to expand the Caucedo port and the free trade zone, which will strengthen the country’s role as a manufacturing and logistics hub for the Americas, Dubai Media Office said, citing a statement from DP World.

The new investment, in partnership with the government of the Dominican Republic, will support the development of new warehouse infrastructure and increase overall logistics capacity, integrating port, free zone and logistics services to meet growing regional demand.

DP World has supported almost 5,000 jobs across the Dominican Republic and could increase goods exports to $2.4 billion by 2035, the statement said, quoting research by Oxford Economics. The port handled more than $13 billion in total trade in 2024.

Morten Johansen, chief operating officer of DP World in the Americas, said that the Dominican Republic is increasingly central to regional trade in the Americas.

The new investment will help position Caucedo as a fully integrated logistics platform capable of supporting long-term trade and industrial growth, he said.

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Last month, DP World offered cargo war-risk cover to companies trading in or through the Middle East amid a surge in insurance premiums driven by the conflict in the Gulf.

The port operator’s profit increased 32 percent year on year to nearly $2 billion in 2025, driven by effective cost management. Operating cash flow rose 14 percent annually to $6.3 billion.

DP World, which is owned by Dubai World, the state-owned investment company of the Dubai government, has set its capex budget at $3 billion for 2026, focused on priority projects including Jebel Ali, Drydocks World, Tuna Tekra in India, London Gateway in the UK and Ndayane in Senegal.