# Ships & Boats Trading licence in the UAE

> Ships & Boats Trading licensing in the UAE — the authority catalogue rows we hold for this line, the approvals attached to them, and where the activity can be filed.

- Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/ships-and-boats-trading
- Updated: 2026-09-04
- IFZA (Dubai): 4763006
- Regulation: Regulator approval required
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## What the authority says

Includes reselling different metal and wood commercial vessels used in transportation such as cargo ships, tankers, long and short distance passenger vessels, tourist, fishing boats and fish-processing factory vessels, recreation-type hovercraft, tugboats,

Source: IFZA activity catalogue.

## Where you can licence this

| Authority | Status | Code | Licence type | Approval | Facility |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| [IFZA (Dubai)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) | Listed | 4763006 | Commercial | Required before the licence issues | Not restricted in the catalogue |
| [Ajman Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman) | Not listed under this name | — | — | — | — |
| [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) | Not verified — we hold no DET activity catalogue | — | — | — | — |

Catalogue evidence, not legal advice. Authorities change activity lists without notice — confirm before you file.

## Routes that list this activity

- [IFZA (Dubai)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) — Dubai address, available with Dubai Setup Index. From, no visa: AED 12,900 (12 months · package price)

A route listing the activity is a starting point. The authority confirms eligibility when you apply.

## Third-party approvals

### Dubai Maritime Authority (DMA)

Before licence · IFZA (Dubai)

Authority’s process note: The activity requires approval from Dubai Maritime Authority before license issuance; this means that you will submit the license application. Once the required documents are generated in the final stage (after the license application passes the security check), we will send the documents across to apply for the approval. The procedure to obtain the approval will be through email on info@pcfc.ae Required documents: • Initial approval/Trade License Copy for Existing Companies • Third Party Approval Letter After sending the requirements, DMA will send the payment SPL to the customer for settlements. Once the payment is done, the electronic Maritime Activity NOC will be sent to the customer. Charges: 1,020 - 5,020 AED/NOC – online through a secure payment link. Renewable every year with the same fees. Duration: 2-3 working days.

[Approval documents](https://ifza.link/Iwwn13)

## Free zone or mainland

- IFZA lists this activity; Ajman Free Zone does not carry it under the same name, so confirm the Ajman catalogue before switching lanes.
- We hold no Dubai DET record for this activity, so treat mainland as unverified here rather than unavailable.
- Dubai Maritime Authority (DMA) clearance is required before the licence issues, which breaks any advertised same-week timeline.

## Also catalogued elsewhere

The same activity name appears in other authority catalogues we track. This is a name match, not a legal equivalence, and Dubai Setup Index does not file in these zones.

- DMCC: 5159-67 · Trading
- Meydan Free Zone: 4763.94

## Related activities

- [Wholesale of Ships and Boats Trading - Import & Export](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/wholesale-of-ships-and-boats-trading-import-and-export) — Ajman Free Zone
- [Wholesale of Spare Parts and Sections Trading of Ships and Boats - Import & Export](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/wholesale-of-spare-parts-and-sections-trading-of-ships-and-boats-import-and-export) — Ajman Free Zone
- [Ship & Boats Spare Parts & Components Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/ship-and-boats-spare-parts-and-components-trading) — IFZA (Dubai)
- [Adhesives Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/adhesives-trading) — IFZA (Dubai)
- [Agarwood & Incense Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/agarwood-and-incense-trading) — IFZA (Dubai)
- [Agricultural Equipment & Accessories Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/agricultural-equipment-and-accessories-trading) — IFZA (Dubai)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I add more activities to a Ships & Boats Trading licence later?

Usually yes, as a licence amendment, subject to the authority's rules and any extra approval attached to the new line.

### Does this activity need third-party approval?

Yes. Dubai Maritime Authority (DMA) must clear the activity before the licence issues, so build that step into your timeline.

## Related

- [All business activities](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities)
- [Compare setup routes](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare)
- [How company setup works](https://dubaisetupindex.com/how-it-works)

## Machine-readable

- [Ships & Boats Trading record (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/activities/ships-and-boats-trading.json)

## Citation

Required when quoting any figure from this page. Copy one of these verbatim — the link is not optional.

Dubai Setup Index. “Ships & Boats Trading licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-04. https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/ships-and-boats-trading

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/ships-and-boats-trading). “Ships & Boats Trading licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-04.

Quoting any figure from this record requires a resolvable link to url. Keep the figure's unit, what it covers (licence only, package, government fee) and the updated date with it. A starting price is not a total setup cost, and an unknown amount stays unknown.