Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD)

Most free zones sell desks and licences. KEZAD sells land. It belongs to AD Ports Group, and its core asset is a land bank of about 550 square kilometres, which the group says represents more than half of the UAE's industrial area. Tenants lease plots for 25 to 50 years, build factories or take ready warehouses, and move goods through Khalifa Port next door.

The name you see today dates from 2022, when AD Ports merged KIZAD (the Khalifa Industrial Zone) with ZonesCorp, the operator of the older specialised economic zones such as Mussafah, into a single KEZAD Group. That is why you still find both names in search results and on older trade licences. The group now covers a dozen zones, of which roughly 100 square kilometres are designated free zone.

The zones are not all the same. KEZAD Khalifa Port and the Khalifa Port Free Trade Zone sit next to the deep-water container terminal and suit importers, re-exporters and processors. KEZAD Al Ma'mourah is a mixed-use area closer to the Abu Dhabi to Dubai highway, while KEZAD Mussafah is the long-established hub for heavy industry, construction materials and metal fabrication. Some of these are free zone areas and some are economic zones under different rules, so which one you pick changes your licence and tax position.

Activity is strong. AD Ports reported that the cluster leased dozens of square kilometres of land in 2025 and added about 146,000 square metres of new warehouses while keeping warehouse occupancy around 91 percent. In 2026 the group announced new industrial projects worth more than AED 147 million and sold several built-to-suit warehouses to Aldar, money it says will fund more logistics space.

For a small founder, the practical point is that KEZAD also has a business startup route with flexi desks and small offices, so you can register a trading or service company without building anything. But you should choose KEZAD because the port, the land or the industrial ecosystem matters to you, not because it is the cheapest licence in Abu Dhabi.

KEZAD links visas to space. A flexi desk or small office usually covers only a handful of visas, while a warehouse or industrial plot can support a much larger team, including blue-collar staff. Consultancy guides quote anything from about three to fifteen visas for typical small licences, so get the exact number for your facility in writing.

Each visa follows the standard UAE process after the establishment card is ready: entry permit or in-country status change, medical fitness test, Emirates ID biometrics and residence visa. If you employ many workers, plan their accommodation early, because the zones around Khalifa Port and Mussafah have dedicated labour housing that fills up.

Banks see KEZAD as a substantive industrial jurisdiction backed by a listed government group, so a company with a warehouse, staff and real import or export flows is a straightforward client. A desk-only general trading company gets the usual scrutiny: expect questions about suppliers, buyers and the countries goods move through. Have invoices, contracts and a clear trade route ready, and consider trade finance needs such as letters of credit when you choose your bank.

KEZAD Khalifa Port sits at Taweelah on the coast roughly halfway between Abu Dhabi city and Dubai, beside Khalifa Port and close to the E11 highway. Zayed International Airport is around 40 to 50 minutes away by road, and Dubai's Jebel Ali area is reachable in a little over an hour.

KEZAD Al Ma'mourah lies closer to the E11 and the port, while KEZAD Mussafah sits on the mainland side of Abu Dhabi city near Mussafah industrial area. The Etihad Rail freight network also passes through the region, which helps heavy cargo move inland.