Marine Manager, UAE Ports

If you are an experienced marine professional looking for senior port and shipping jobs in Dubai, this Marine Manager, UAE Ports vacancy with DP World could be the leadership role you have been working towards. Based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at the Jebel Ali Operations facility, and offered on an on-site, full-time basis within DP World’s Maritime Solutions business, the position carries responsibility for the tugs, pilot boats and mooring operations that keep UAE ports moving safely every day. Among Gulf jobs in the maritime sector, few roles combine hands-on fleet responsibility, technical project delivery and people leadership at this scale. You can apply online through the official DP World careers page linked at the end of this post.

About the Role

The Marine Manager, UAE Ports is accountable for both the day-to-day running and the long-term operational and technical management of the tug, pilot boat and mooring departments across the UAE region. Reporting to the General Manager of the UAE Ports Business Unit, you will make sure the fleet is ready whenever the ports need it: vessels must be fit for purpose, properly crewed, correctly certified and available to meet the contractual obligations DP World has with its customers.

This is a shore-based management role with real operational weight. On any given week you might be reviewing vessel programmes that balance asset use, crewing and maintenance, overseeing a docking or a modification project at a shipyard, checking that survey and certification requirements are on track, or leading the response to an incident. You will set technical strategies and specifications for new work, appraise shipyard options, control project budgets and manage risk, while also watching the financial performance of your departments and staying within your authorised limits.

People leadership is equally central. You will lead and performance-manage the personnel in your departments, work with HR and Crewing colleagues on recruitment, plan training, rosters and leave, and set clear expectations for safety and professional standards. Safety sits above everything: you are responsible for upholding HSSEQ standards, making sure incidents are reported and investigated properly, and providing 24/7 emergency response cover for the operations under your control.

Key Responsibilities

– Managing the day-to-day and long-term operational and technical running of the tug, pilot boat and mooring departments in the UAE region, reporting to the General Manager of the UAE Ports Business Unit.
– Making sure every fleet vessel is fit for purpose, maintained to standard and operationally available, so the business can meet its contractual obligations to port customers without interruption.
– Managing dockings, new builds, modifications and other technical projects from planning through to delivery, keeping work safe, on specification and under control at every stage.
– Building and overseeing vessel programmes that cover efficient asset use, crewing levels and top-side maintenance, so planned work is done on time and vessels return to service ready for operation.
– Ensuring full compliance with survey and certification requirements for the fleet, tracking due dates and closing out findings so no vessel operates outside its certificates.
– Developing technical strategies and specifications that allow shipyard options to be appraised fairly, and contributing to shipyard selection for repair, docking and build work.
– Controlling project budgets, preparing costings and carrying out risk assessments, and reporting clearly on progress so that technical decisions are backed by sound commercial information.
– Managing departmental finances within authorised limits, monitoring and explaining budget variances, and providing input into tenders and contract renewals that affect marine operations.
– Leading and performance-managing department personnel, supporting recruitment together with HR and Crewing, and planning training, duty rosters and leave so teams are skilled, rested and properly deployed.
– Upholding HSSEQ standards across all operations, ensuring incidents are reported promptly and investigated thoroughly, and providing round-the-clock, 24/7 emergency response for the fleet and departments in your charge.

Requirements and Qualifications

– A Master STCW 2010 Certificate of Competency, Class 1, with at least three years of deep-sea sailing experience together with technical experience, or an engineer technical certification combined with experience in tug operations.
– At least ten years of experience in port marine operations, gained in shore-based management positions rather than sea service alone.
– Vessel operational management experience at fleet manager level, plus more than five years of technical management of vessels.
– Experience of vessel acquisition programmes, covering the practical and technical side of bringing vessels into a working fleet.
– Sound knowledge of ISM quality and safety management systems, and the discipline to apply them consistently across a busy operation.
– Good English communication skills, both written and spoken, for reporting, specification writing and dealing with customers, yards and authorities.
– Proficiency in MS Office, which is essential for the planning, budgeting and reporting this role requires.

This role suits a senior marine professional who has already moved from sea service into shore-based fleet leadership and is ready to run a multi-department operation inside one of the world’s best-known port groups. It will fit a Master Mariner or senior marine engineer who understands tugs and harbour operations in depth, who is as comfortable reviewing a docking specification or a budget variance as standing on a quay at short notice during an incident, and who can lead mixed teams of seafarers and shore staff with a calm, safety-first approach. If your background covers fleet management, technical projects and port marine operations at scale, this position offers a substantial step within Dubai’s maritime industry.

About the Company

DP World is a Dubai-based global ports and logistics group, best known for operating container terminals and port facilities in many countries around the world and for the wider logistics, marine services and trade solutions that have grown around that core business. From its home base in Dubai, the group has become one of the most recognisable names in global trade, handling a significant share of the world’s container traffic and employing people across ports, terminals, warehouses and marine operations on several continents.

Within the group, the Maritime Solutions side of the business provides marine services such as harbour towage, pilotage support and mooring — the practical services that allow large vessels to arrive, berth, work cargo and depart safely. A management role in this part of DP World places you at the operational heart of the UAE’s ports, working for an employer with a long-term presence in Dubai and a fleet and infrastructure base built around Jebel Ali, one of the largest ports in the region.

Working in Dubai

Dubai is one of the region’s great maritime and logistics hubs, and for professionals considering Gulf jobs it offers a concentration of port, shipping and trade activity matched by few other cities. Jebel Ali, where this role is based, is a major port and free zone area to the south of the city, with a large community of marine, engineering and logistics professionals working there every day. The city’s ports have helped make Dubai a meeting point between shipping lines, traders and operators from across the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Outside work, Dubai offers modern infrastructure, an international workforce, extensive housing and schooling options and year-round activity along its coastline. As with any new role, candidates should review the terms offered by the employer directly, ask about working patterns, standby expectations and entitlements during the hiring process, and make sure the position fits their own circumstances before accepting.

Salary and Benefits

The employer has not published a salary for this Marine Manager, UAE Ports position on its official job page, and no specific pay figure is stated there. Details about compensation and any benefits that apply to the role will be shared by the employer during the hiring process, so candidates are encouraged to discuss these points directly with the DP World recruitment team when they are contacted.

How to Apply

To be considered, submit your application through DP World’s official careers website using the link below. Prepare an up-to-date CV that clearly shows your certificate of competency or engineering certification, your sea service, your shore-based port marine operations experience and your fleet and technical management record, and be ready to discuss project delivery, safety management and team leadership during the selection process. Only apply through the official employer page, and do not pay any third party in connection with this vacancy.

Apply here (official employer page): https://www.dpworld.com/en/careers/vacancies/dp-world-maritime-solutions-marine-manager-uae-portsdubai-orc-req-26327

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