The United Arab Emirates, with its hub port in Dubai, has maintained the highest liner shipping connectivity index of the subregion, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), has announced In its Review of Maritime Transport 2017, the international organisation affirmed that "several countries have benefited from their (UAE) geographic position, linking East–West services between Europe and Asia to North–South and feedering services that connect their ports to Africa and Southern Asia".

The Review of Maritime Transport 2017 presents key developments in the world economy and international trade and related impacts on shipping demand and supply, and freight and charter markets in 2016 and early 2017, as well as seaports and the regulatory and legal framework. In addition, this year’s Review features a special chapter on maritime transport connectivity, reflecting the prominence of physical and electronic connectivity as a priority area in the trade and development policy agenda.

The review forecasts world seaborne trade to increase by 2.8 percent in 2017, with total volumes reaching 10.6 billion tons. "Projections for the medium term also point to continued expansion, with volumes growing at an estimated compound annual growth rate of 3.2 percent across all segments, with containerised and major dry bulk commodities trades recording the fastest growth."

Fostering competition among ports is important to ensure that port operators maximize efficiency, and pass on efficiency gains to their clients, the review stated.

Between 2000 and 2016, a total of $68.8 billion in private investment was committed across 292 port projects aimed at improving port infrastructure and superstructures. The Review says the world’s commercial fleet grew by 3.2 percent, to reach 1.86 billion dead-weight tons in early 2017.