The UAE's total alumina imports is estimated to decline 12.4% YOY in 2016

The United Arab Emirates has grown over the years from essentially an oil-based economy to the world's fourth largest aluminium producing country, thanks to Emirates Global Aluminium's (EGA) contribution as major aluminium manufacturer of the region. The industrial champion with two operating sites in Abu Dhabi and Dubai currently produces 2.4 Mtpa of primary aluminium, contributing two to three per cent of the UAE's non-oil gross domestic product (GDP). As far as raw material sourcing for aluminium smelting is concerned, at present, the UAE is entirely reliant on third party imports for its alumina needs. It imports close to five million tonnes of alumina every year.

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However, the country's first alumina refinery adjacent to EGA's operations in Al Taweelah is coming up shortly. Construction at the site is progressing at a steady pace. On completion, it is expected to reduce the UAE's dependence on imported alumina to a significant extent.


The UAE imported 1.59 million tonnes of alumina worth US$0.49 billion in 2014. In 2015, the volume of total alumina imports increased 11.32 per cent to reach 1.77 million tonnes. The imports were valued at US$0.52 billion, up 6.12 per cent from 2014. In 2016, the total alumina imports in the UAE is estimated to go down at 1.55 million tonnes valued at US$0.47 billion, marking a volume-wise decrease of 12.4 per cent and value-wise decrease of 10.03 per cent year-over-year.


The UAE is estimated to have imported a total volume of 1080502.8 tonnes alumina from Brazil, 47289.7 tonnes alumina from China, 380024.3 tonnes alumina from India, 38974.9 tonnes alumina from Jamaica, and 657.2 tonnes of alumina from the USA in 2016.  

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EGA recently announced that itsUS$3 billion-Al Taweelah alumina refinery has reached a significant construction milestone. The Calciners section of the project is 60 per cent complete, and the overall completion of the project is currently at 37 per cent. Construction on the project is expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2018, and the refinery will be capable of producing two million tonnes per year of alumina. On completion, Al Taweelah Alumina will cater to more than 80 per cent of EGA's alumina requirements and will also contribute to the UAE's economic diversification by expediting the development of the upcoming aluminium cluster in Kizad.