Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ) Company Setup (2026): Land Leases, NOCs, the Federal Petroleum Permit, Bunkering, Environment and Tax

The Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ) publishes a catalogue of 44 services, and not one of them is a trade licence, a visa or an office package [1]. FOIZ leases land, approves projects and safety cases, and issues no-objection certificates. Almost every fee in that catalogue reads "Contact FOIZ". If you arrive expecting a licence bundle like the ones Dubai free zones sell, you will spend weeks finding out it does not exist.

The timing matters too. Fujairah sold 2.35 million m3 of marine fuel in the first nine months of 2026, down 58% on the same period of 2025 [2], in a year when the zone came under repeated attack [3]. A FOIZ project in 2026 is a long-term infrastructure bet priced in a disrupted market, not a quick licence.

Since 2013, BusinessDubai.ae has set up trading, logistics and commodity companies across the UAE, and this guide is built from official sources rather than brochures. It covers what FOIZ issues, the path to a land lease, the FOIZ NOCs, the federal petroleum trading authorisation, Port of Fujairah bunker charges, environmental approvals, VAT and corporate tax, the 2026 market, and when a Dubai trading desk is the better structure. It is general information, not legal or tax advice on your project.

What is FOIZ, and does it issue a trade licence?

The Fujairah Oil Industry Zone is a landlord and regulator for the oil industry, not a licence-and-visa free zone. Its September 2026 catalogue lists 44 services covering land leases, project approvals, HSEQ approvals, passes and NOCs, including a Trade License NOC that endorses a commercial licence issued elsewhere. FOIZ publishes no fee schedule.

FOIZ's own FAQ, in a 2024 snapshot, said the zone was established under the "Law of the Establishment of Fujairah Oil Industry Zone" (No. 4 of 2011) [4]; the current site no longer carries that sentence. MEED reported on 28 April 2011 that the zone was set up by decree of the Ruler of Fujairah and that its authority "will issue or renew permits and licences for companies operating in the area", adding that "The renovation and leasing of land and property will also fall under its remit" [5].

FOIZ says it started in 2011 with "Starting capacity: 22 million barrels." Its timeline now reads "Current capacity: 120 million barrels." and targets "over 150 million barrels" by 2030 [6]. Those are FOIZ's own figures. The tank capacity itself belongs to independent terminal operators: FOIZ's stakeholder page lists ADNOC, VTTI Fujairah, BPGIC, Vopak Horizon, Emarat, ENOC, GPS Chemoil, Tristar and others as its core operational stakeholders [7].

The table below groups the FOIZ catalogue (last updated September 2026) by what an investor would use it for [1].

There is no visa service, establishment card, flexi-desk or office package anywhere in the 44 services. The one money figure in the catalogue is a remark on vehicle gate passes: "AED 100 Min charge (Applicable one time for project related traffic)" [1].

Real Talk: "Contact FOIZ" on every line means you cannot budget a FOIZ project from public data. The feasibility review carries the remark "Minimum charges subject to project scope and additional costs on a case-to-case basis." Ask FOIZ's Strategy and Business Development Department for a written fee schedule covering the RFP, the LLA rent, the engineering reviews and the NOCs before you commit design money.

Who actually needs FOIZ, and who does not?

FOIZ matters to businesses that build, lease or operate physical oil infrastructure in Fujairah: terminal developers, plant investors and their contractors. A bunker supplier deals mainly with the Port of Fujairah, a storage tenant contracts with a terminal, and a paper trader may not touch FOIZ at all. The federal petroleum trading authorisation applies across all of them.

The table maps six profiles to the four approvals that decide their setup, based on the FOIZ catalogue [1]. "Confirm" means no official source states the answer; ask FOIZ, the Port of Fujairah or the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI) in writing.

Only the terminal developer deals with FOIZ as landlord; everyone else buys tank space, port access or barrels from businesses that hold those approvals.

Common Mistake: Expecting a FOIZ licence-plus-visa package. Founders search "FOIZ licence cost", find advertised figures on third-party sites and assume FOIZ sells a bundle like IFZA or Meydan. It does not. FOIZ endorses a commercial licence through its Trade License NOC, and its catalogue has no visa or office service. Your licence, visas and office come from somewhere else, so plan those first.

How does a project get from proposal to start-up in FOIZ?

A FOIZ project moves through a request for proposal, initial permission with land allocation, a land lease agreement (LLA), engineering reviews, an HSEIA and safety studies, a Construction NOC that takes 5 to 7 working days, and finally mechanical completion and pre-startup safety approvals. FOIZ publishes durations only for the NOCs and passes.

The list below follows the order of FOIZ's own service cards [1]. The FOIZ RFP form, hosted on the Port of Fujairah website, shows what the first step asks for [8].

1. Request for proposal (New Project). The FOIZ RFP form asks for the land requirement, project timeline, feasibility and marketing studies already done, products with tons per year, ship and parcel sizes, vessel sizes in DWT, pipeline numbers and sizes, and pumping rates [8]. No duration is published.
2. Initial Permission (New Projects). FOIZ describes it as formal initial approval "including land allocation confirmation, layout validation" and authority to start early-stage work [1]. No duration is published.
3. Review of Project Feasibility Study. A technical and commercial review. Charges depend on project scope.
4. Land Lease Issuance (LLA). FOIZ issues "legally binding land lease agreements" setting out rights, obligations and usage conditions [1]. The Assignment of Land Lease service covers transfers "to third parties such as financial institutions or partners", which is how a project lender takes security.
5. FEED and detailed engineering reviews. FOIZ's Projects Department reviews the front-end engineering design, then the detailed engineering, against its codes and infrastructure.
6. Review Project HSEIA and Review and Approval of Safety Studies. Handled by the HSEQ Department. No duration is published.
7. Construction NOC (New Projects). "5 to 7 Working Days (complex cases may take up to 15 working days)". Renewals for ongoing projects take "2 to 5 Working Days (complex cases may take up to 15 working days)" [1].
8. Approval of the Mechanical Completion Certificate (MCC), then Approval of Pre-Startup Safety Review (PSSR) and Commissioning activities. The last FOIZ gates before operation.

Alongside these steps run gate passes ("1 Working Day (complex cases may take up to 3 working days)") and port passes coordination ("3-5 Working Days (Complex cases may take up to 7 working days)") [1]. FOIZ's Emergency Response Services card says it is "Applicable on annual basis from the start of construction work", so budget for it from the first day on site.

Pro Tip: Read the remark on FOIZ's Construction NOC before you promise a lender a start date. It says that "In the case of constructing a new terminal, or when multiple clearances from affected parties are required, the process may take a considerable amount of time." The 5 to 7 day figure is FOIZ's own review. Neighbouring terminals, pipeline owners and the port each have their own clearances, and your schedule runs at the pace of the slowest one.

Which NOCs does FOIZ issue, and who issues the trade licence?

FOIZ issues a Trade License NOC, described as "Review and endorsement of applications for issuance or renewal of commercial licenses", plus a Petroleum trading NOC, a Construction NOC and a Drone NOC. FOIZ does not say which authority issues a FOIZ company's licence itself, so confirm it with FOIZ before applying.

The Trade License NOC

FOIZ's Finance Department handles the Trade License NOC (Issuance / Renewal), whose description ends "confirming alignment with FOIZ regulatory requirements and permitted business activities" [1]. A separate Amendments to Trade License NOC covers activity, ownership and structural changes. The wording is endorsement, not issuance: another authority issues the licence and FOIZ signs off on it.

The Petroleum trading NOC

The Petroleum trading NOC is handled by FOIZ's Support Services Department. It asks for a list of permits, owner documents and invoices, and its published duration is "2 to 5 Working Days (Complex cases may take up to 20 working days)" [1]. The remark on the service card explains where it goes: "NOC is issued to Fujairah Environment Authority after collection of relevant documents from the following", followed by six bodies: Fujairah Municipality, Fujairah Environment Authority, Fujairah Chamber, Civil Defense, Fujairah Police and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure [1]. The NOC is addressed to the Fujairah Environment Authority (FEA), not to you, and the 2 to 5 days is FOIZ's own step; each of the six inputs runs on its own timetable.

Where the licence itself comes from

The Port of Fujairah's "Starting a New Business" page sets out three tracks: starting a business in the port, in the Fujairah Oil Terminal (FOTT) and in FOIZ [9]. The port track pairs a Fujairah Municipality trading licence application form, whose boxes read Commercial, Service, Industrial and Handicrafts with new or renewal options, with a Port Operators Licence application. The FOIZ track carries the FOIZ RFP form [8].

The Port Operators Licence form asks for the company's trading licence number and says the port licence is "in addition to, and in no way supersedes the licensing and trading Rules or requirements" of the Government of Fujairah or federal regulations [9]. In plain terms: a port licence sits on top of a trade licence, it does not replace one.

FOIZ lists its partner regulators as the Fujairah Environment Authority, Fujairah Municipality, Fujairah Police, Fujairah Customs, the Fujairah Free Zone Authority (FFZA), the Port of Fujairah, the Federal Tax Authority (FTA), MOEI, the Fujairah Chamber and the Department of Industry and Economy [7]. None of the published sources says which of them issues the trade licence for a company operating on FOIZ land.

Pro Tip: Put one question to FOIZ in writing before you prepare anything: "Which authority issues the commercial licence for our activity, and which licence category should we apply under?" The answer decides the activity wording, the forms and the order of every later step. Keep the reply on file for your bank and auditors.

If you are weighing Fujairah against a base elsewhere in the emirate, our business setup in Fujairah page covers the general options outside the oil sector.

Does the federal petroleum trading permit apply inside FOIZ?

Yes. Federal Law No. 14 of 2017 on trading in petroleum products applies across the UAE, "including free zones, special development zones and investment zones", and says no one may trade petroleum products without authorisation. Trading includes storing, distributing, selling and purchasing. Crude oil falls outside the law's definition of petroleum products.

The unofficial English translation hosted by the Port of Fujairah is clear on scope. Article 3(1) applies the law to "the entire territory of the State". Article 4(1): "No natural or legal person may trade petroleum products in the territory of the State unless he is authorised to do so." Article 4(2): "The license shall be only issued based on the Trading Authorisation." [10]

What counts as trading and which products

The law defines trading as "Entering, manufacturing, storing, packaging, transporting, marketing, distributing, offering for sale, selling, and purchasing petroleum products to the territory of the State or supplying them to third parties." Petroleum products are "hydrocarbon gas and petroleum derivatives", and the definition adds: "Crude oil shall not be considered among the petroleum products covered by the provisions of this law." Petroleum derivatives include gasoline, kerosene, gas oil (diesel), fuel oil, base oils and lubricants, bitumen, domestic LPG and biofuel [10].

So a terminal storing fuel oil or gasoil needs authorisation, a bunker supplier selling and transporting marine fuel is trading, and a crude-only terminal sits outside this law's product definition, though FOIZ approvals still apply.

The Trading Authorisation runs for one year: "The term of the Trading Authorisation shall be of one year renewable for similar periods" [10]. The licence must also state the place where the authorised person operates and the products it may trade.

Who issues it in Fujairah

The law defines the Competent Authority as "The local authority having competence to issue the Trading Authorisation" [10]. The sources reviewed for this guide do not name Fujairah's competent authority. FOIZ's Petroleum trading NOC goes to the Fujairah Environment Authority and collects input from MOEI, which suggests the route runs through them, but that is a reading of a service card rather than a published rule. Confirm the issuing authority with FOIZ and MOEI before you apply.

On ownership, Al Tamimi and Company wrote in November 2022 that the implementing ministerial resolution requires a UAE national to hold at least 51% of a legal entity applying for a permit, except for companies established in free zones, special development zones and investment zones [11]. Whether your FOIZ company counts as one of those for this purpose is another question to put to MOEI.

Penalties for trading without authorisation are serious, including fines and imprisonment, and our lubricants trading company guide sets out the federal penalty articles and how Dubai's own petroleum permit works.

Real Talk: The law's text does not answer whether a purely documentary trade, where the cargo never enters the UAE, is "trading". The definition covers products moved "to the territory of the State or supplying them to third parties", and the free zone scope is explicit. If your plan relies on the paper-trading reading, get a written view from MOEI or a UAE lawyer rather than relying on a sales page.

How does bunkering from Fujairah work, and what does the port charge?

Bunkering from Fujairah runs on Port of Fujairah licences rather than FOIZ ones. Fuel is stored in FOIZ terminals, loaded at the Fujairah Oil Terminal and delivered by barge to the Fujairah Anchorage Area. The port's tariff, effective 1 February 2026, gives licensed bunker companies lower charges, but the licence criteria and fee are not published.

The Port of Fujairah describes the chain in one sentence: "Bunker fuels are stored mainly at the liquid bulk storage terminals in FOIZ, loaded at FOTT and supplied by dedicated bunker barges to the Fujairah Anchorage Area (FAA)." [12] It adds that Berths 3A, 3B, 3 East and 3 West at Oil Terminal 1 take vessels of 10,000 to 20,000 DWT and are dedicated to MGO and (V)LSFO loading and discharge [12].

The bunker licence

The 2026 tariff refers to bunker barges "holding a valid bunker licence issued by the Port of Fujairah" and to "Bunkering Companies Holding Valid Bunkering License" [13]. It does not publish who qualifies, what the licence costs, how long it lasts or what insurance it requires. Ask the Fujairah Ports Authority directly, and do not rely on third-party fee figures.

S&P Global Platts reported in early 2021, as carried by Ship & Bunker, that after Fairdeal Traders did not renew its licence there were "12 companies" on the list of licensed suppliers at Fujairah [14]. That count is dated; ask the port for the current list.

What the tariff charges

The charges below are quoted from the Port of Fujairah Tariff effective 1 February 2026 [13]. They are port charges, not FOIZ fees.

The STS gap, AED 27,600 against AED 101,500, is the commercial case for holding a bunker licence. The exemption certificate applies to "Bunker barges not exceeding 90 meters and holding valid bunkering license and certificates", and the tariff adds that "Marine Charges as per Tariff will also be charged for the first call of the vessel." [13]

Quick Math: One 90 m bunker barge on the yearly Marine Charge Exemption Certificate costs AED 69,000. Buying three monthly certificates at AED 8,250 for a three-month trial costs AED 24,750, and the three-month certificate itself is AED 21,000. On published fees, the three-month certificate is the cheaper trial, and the yearly one beats monthly certificates from the ninth month (9 x 8,250 = AED 74,250).

Mass flow meters and barge rules

Mass flow meters are not mandatory for bunker deliveries in Fujairah on any source found for this guide. In 2023 the port's business development manager told the IBIA Annual Convention that the port was looking at them and would encourage a country-wide approach [15]. Check the current position with the port before you specify a barge.

Federal oversight of barges is real. Argus reported on 2 June 2022 that the UAE Ministry of Energy had issued a circular on 30 May banning three bunker barges for "serious violations" of UAE laws and maritime conventions [16]. For a broader view of where shipping businesses register in the UAE, see our guide to the best free zones for marine and shipping, and if you supply stores rather than fuel, our ship chandler company guide.

What environmental and safety approvals does a FOIZ project need?

A FOIZ project needs HSEQ approvals from FOIZ, including the HSEIA review, safety studies, the Mechanical Completion Certificate and the Pre-Startup Safety Review, and it must follow FOIZ's ten Codes of Practice, COP-001 to COP-010. The Fujairah Environment Authority is the emirate's environmental regulator, but its approval process and fees were not publicly readable.

What FOIZ's HSEQ Department approves

FOIZ's HSEQ Department runs Review Project HSEIA, Review and Approval of Safety Studies, Approval of the MCC, Approval of PSSR and Commissioning activities, compliance audits and compliance field inspections [1]. FOIZ's current FAQ says it maintains environmental compliance through "Regular environmental impact assessments", continuous monitoring of emissions and discharges, and "Environmental management systems (ISO 14001)" [17].

The Codes of Practice

FOIZ publishes ten Codes of Practice [18]:

COP-005 sets out how HSEQ risks are identified and managed "throughout its life cycle, including design, construction, operation, and demolition" [18]. Your HSEIA and safety studies should map to these codes before submission.

The Fujairah Environment Authority

FOIZ lists the Fujairah Environment Authority as a regulator [7], and the Petroleum trading NOC is issued to it [1]. The FEA portal could not be reached when this guide was prepared, so its approval categories, timelines and fees are not stated here. Ask FOIZ which FEA approvals your project needs and in what order. Federal Law No. 14 of 2017 also has the competent authority verify that facilities meet "security and environmental safety standards" before authorising trading [10].

People on site

Access to FOIZ facilities requires "Security background checks" and "Safety induction training" according to FOIZ's FAQ [17]. Contractors need "Valid trade licenses and insurance certificates", HSE certifications and training records, and must pass pre-qualification and a safety orientation, so a service business needs its licence before its gate pass.

Common Mistake: Treating the HSEIA as paperwork to file after engineering is done. FOIZ reviews FEED and detailed engineering, then the HSEIA and safety studies, and each review can send design back. Commission the safety studies alongside FEED so changes land before detailed design is locked, not after.

Do paper traders and Dubai desks need FOIZ at all?

A trader who buys and sells petroleum cargoes without owning storage or barges in Fujairah usually does not need FOIZ land or FOIZ approvals. It can run the trading desk from a Dubai free zone or the mainland and buy tank space from a FOIZ terminal. BusinessDubai.ae prices that desk from AED 12,500 licence-only at Meydan Free Zone.

Our oil and gas trading company setup guide covers that desk-plus-storage model in depth, and our Fujairah free zone setup guide covers FFZA and Creative City.

BusinessDubai.ae has no FOIZ package and no standard Fujairah package for oil-sector activities; a FOIZ project is quoted case by case, because land, engineering and HSEQ work are project costs. BusinessDubai.ae packages fit the trading or holding desk in Dubai beside a Fujairah operation.

The table compares the routes for that desk at BusinessDubai.ae's standard 2026 package prices [25].

For a desk trading cargoes outside the UAE, our free zone company setup page itemises the Meydan, Dubai South and IFZA packages. If your customers include onshore UAE fuel buyers, our mainland company setup page shows the route that lets you invoice them directly.

Two other emirates come up. Groups with links to Abu Dhabi's upstream and refining base may prefer a desk in the capital, and our business setup in Abu Dhabi page shows that route. Traders storing at Hamriyah rather than Fujairah should look at our business setup in Sharjah page.

Real Talk: On IFZA and Meydan, an investor visa now needs the shareholder to show capital of at least AED 75,000 in a bank account, in the UAE or at home. Budget it alongside the package rather than discovering it at the visa stage. Our corporate bank account guide covers what banks ask commodity traders.

How are FOIZ companies taxed: VAT and corporate tax?

FOIZ and Fujairah Free Zone have both been VAT Designated Zones since 1 January 2018, which can take qualifying goods movements outside the UAE for VAT. Services and energy supplied in a Designated Zone are still taxed as inside the UAE. For corporate tax, the 0% Qualifying Free Zone Person route depends on activity tests that storage-heavy businesses can fail.

VAT: the Designated Zone rules

The Federal Tax Authority's list of Designated Zones shows two Fujairah entries, Fujairah Free Zone and "FOIZ (Fujairah Oil Industry Zone)", both dated 01/01/2018 [19]. Article 51 of the VAT Executive Regulation sets the rules [20]. The table summarises the parts that matter for an oil business.

Our Designated Zone VAT guide covers the customs evidence the FTA expects.

Bunker fuel and VAT

Article 33(2)(a) zero-rates "The Goods which are supplied for use or consumption or sale by or on an aircraft or a ship" where the ship is engaged in international transport of passengers or goods [20]. Article 35(1), the separate relief for goods supplied to operate or maintain a commercial ship, covers goods "except fuel or other oil or gas products". So fuel supplied to a ship can only reach the zero rate through Article 33, and only where the voyage qualifies.

No FTA clarification specific to bunker fuel was found for this guide. Do not assume bunkers are free of VAT. Whether a delivery qualifies depends on the vessel's voyage, the evidence you hold and where the supply takes place, so take VAT advice and document every stem.

Corporate tax: which route fits

Corporate tax is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above for an ordinary taxable person. A Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) pays 0% on qualifying income, but has no AED 375,000 band and cannot use Small Business Relief. Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 lists the qualifying activities [21], and three matter in Fujairah.

The 51% test is the trap for a trader that also owns tanks: if most of its revenue comes from storage and inventory functions, the trading income loses the commodity route. Bunker buyers burn the fuel rather than resell it, so the distribution route does not fit bunker sales. Our Qualifying Free Zone Person guide covers substance, audited accounts and the de minimis test, which is the lower of 5% of revenue or AED 5,000,000.

One question comes before all of that. A QFZP must be a Free Zone Person, and the sources reviewed here do not confirm that FOIZ counts as a free zone for corporate tax purposes; the VAT Designated Zone list is a separate instrument. Confirm the position with a tax adviser before you model 0%.

Quick Math: A FOIZ storage company with AED 2,000,000 of taxable income that fails a QFZP condition is taxed at the ordinary rates from the start of that period: 9% of (2,000,000 minus 375,000) = AED 146,250. It also loses QFZP status for the following four tax periods. A structuring miss in year one costs five years of planning.

Small Business Relief

Small Business Relief applies to revenue up to AED 3,000,000 in tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029, under Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026 [22], and a QFZP cannot elect it. Our Small Business Relief guide explains the election.

If you want your tax position modelled for a specific storage, trading or bunkering plan, model your position→

What does the 2026 market look like for a Fujairah investor?

Fujairah's 2026 market is sharply weaker than 2025. Bunker sales were 7.40 million m3 in 2025, down 2.8%, then fell 58% year on year to 2.35 million m3 in the first nine months of 2026. MEED reported on 5 May 2026 that an Iranian missile and drone barrage set an oil facility in Fujairah ablaze.

Bunker demand

Ship & Bunker reported in January 2026, using FOIZ and S&P Global Commodity Insights data, that Fujairah's 2025 bunker sales excluding lubricants were 7.40 million m3, down 2.8% from 7.61 million m3 in 2024 [23]. In October 2026 it reported: "A total of 2.35 million m3 of marine fuels were sold in Fujairah in the first nine months of this year, down 58% from 5.60 million m3 in the same period last year" [2]. The same report said sales had recovered somewhat after a record low in June 2026.

Security

MEED reported on 5 May 2026 that the UAE accused Iran of a new barrage of missiles and drones on 4 May, "setting an oil facility ablaze in the emirate of Fujairah" and wounding three people [3]. MEED also reported that FOIZ had suffered at least half a dozen attacks since March, after war between Iran and the US broke out on 28 February 2026.

For an investor these are pricing inputs, not forecasts: they affect war-risk insurance, lenders' appetite for debt secured on an LLA, and the throughput assumptions in your feasibility study.

Inventory data

FOIZ publishes weekly inventory data through FEDCom, the Fujairah Energy Data Committee: "Since January 2017, FEDCom has worked closely with S&P Global Platts" [24]. The newsletter is free [1]; use it to test the storage demand assumptions in your RFP.

Pro Tip: Build a downside case into the feasibility study you submit with the FOIZ RFP. FOIZ reviews feasibility studies for "viability, risk exposure, infrastructure requirements", and a lender will ask the same questions. A study that only models 2025 volumes will look stale against the 2026 numbers above.

What does a FOIZ setup cost in 2026?

A FOIZ setup has no published price: every FOIZ service fee reads "Contact FOIZ", apart from an AED 100 minimum charge on vehicle gate passes. Port of Fujairah bunker charges are published, from AED 1.40 per MT wharfage to AED 69,000 a year for a barge exemption certificate. A Dubai trading desk starts at AED 12,500 without a visa.

The table puts every published figure in one place and labels everything else honestly [1][13][25].

FOIZ costs are project costs, and the paperwork is the small part. The Dubai desk figures are standard package prices, not promotional ones; to have them itemised against your activity and visa count, get a free setup quote→

After setup, renewals, visa renewals, VAT returns and the corporate tax return fall due within months of each other. Our post-setup services team runs that calendar for trading desks so it does not land in the middle of a cargo.

Which route fits your oil business?

The right route depends on whether you own physical assets in Fujairah. Terminal and plant investors deal with FOIZ as landlord and regulator, bunker suppliers with the Port of Fujairah, and traders without tanks usually run a Dubai desk at AED 21,850 with one visa and buy storage from a FOIZ terminal.

The trading company and the asset company often belong in different places, so decide the row before you form the first entity.

Real Client Stories

These are composite examples built from the situations oil storage, bunkering and trading founders most often face in Fujairah. Names and details are illustrative, and the only figures used are published port charges and BusinessDubai.ae's package prices.

The trader who went looking for a FOIZ visa

A fuel oil trader planned to open his company in FOIZ so he could live in the UAE and sell cargoes stored in Fujairah. He spent a month chasing a FOIZ licence-and-visa price before learning that FOIZ issues NOCs and land leases, not visas. He had no plans to own tanks. He set up a Meydan Free Zone company with one visa at AED 21,850, signed a storage contract with an existing terminal, and applied for the federal trading authorisation for his physical cargoes. Lesson: if you lease tank space rather than land, your company does not need to sit in FOIZ.

The bunker supplier and the three-month barge

A small supplier wanted to test Fujairah demand with one 85 m barge before committing for a year. On the port tariff, the Marine Charge Exemption Certificate costs AED 69,000 a year, AED 21,000 for three months or AED 8,250 a month. The three-month certificate was the cheapest trial. The bigger number was the ship-to-ship charge: AED 27,600 per operation for a licensed bunker company against AED 101,500 for a company without a licence. Lesson: secure the Port of Fujairah bunker licence before the first operation, not after.

The terminal developer and the 51% line

A regional group proposed a products terminal and planned to trade its own cargoes through the same company. The FOIZ RFP form asked for feasibility and marketing studies, products, pumping rates and pipeline sizes before any land was allocated. Its lender wanted the land lease assigned to the bank, which FOIZ's catalogue provides for. The tax review then showed most revenue would come from storage, which would take the trading income out of the qualifying commodity route. The group split storage and trading into two entities. Lesson: design the corporate structure before the FOIZ application, not after.

Start your Fujairah oil business the right way

Three decisions matter more than any fee. First, decide whether you need FOIZ at all: only investors who lease FOIZ land deal with it as landlord. Second, confirm in writing who issues your licence and your federal trading authorisation in Fujairah, because no public source answers either question. Third, structure the trading and storage businesses separately where the corporate tax tests require it, and never assume bunker supplies are outside VAT.

BusinessDubai.ae works with itemised pricing and no hidden fees. For the trading or holding desk beside a Fujairah operation, we compare a free zone company setup at Meydan, Dubai South or IFZA against a mainland company setup, and our post-setup services team keeps renewals, visas and filings on schedule. A FOIZ project itself is quoted case by case. Talk to a setup expert→

If your plan turns out to be general trading rather than petroleum, our manufacturing free zones guide and the Fujairah free zone guide above cover the alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ)?

The Fujairah Oil Industry Zone is the Fujairah government authority that regulates the emirate's hydrocarbons industry and leases land to terminal and plant investors. FOIZ says it started in 2011 with 22 million barrels of capacity and now reports 120 million barrels.

Is FOIZ a free zone like FFZA or IFZA?

No. FOIZ works as a landlord and regulator for oil projects, and its 44-service catalogue has no trade licence, visa or office package. Its VAT Designated Zone status since 2018 is a tax status, not a licence product.

Does FOIZ issue trade licences?

FOIZ issues a Trade License NOC, which it describes as review and endorsement of applications for issuance or renewal of commercial licences. It does not publish which authority issues the licence itself. Ask FOIZ in writing which authority and licence category apply to your activity.

Can I get a UAE visa through FOIZ?

No visa service appears in FOIZ's September 2026 catalogue. Visas come through the company that holds your trade licence. If you need residency for a trading desk, a Dubai free zone package such as Meydan Free Zone at AED 21,850 with one visa is a common route.

How much does it cost to set up in FOIZ?

FOIZ publishes no fees. Every service in its catalogue reads "Contact FOIZ", apart from an AED 100 minimum charge on vehicle gate passes for project traffic. Land rent, engineering reviews and NOC fees are quoted per project.

Does a FOIZ company get tank storage automatically?

No. Tank capacity in Fujairah is operated by independent terminal companies such as VTTI, Vopak Horizon and BPGIC, and a trader leases storage from a terminal under a commercial contract. FOIZ leases land to the terminal developers.

How do I lease land in FOIZ?

Land in FOIZ is leased through a Land Lease Agreement (LLA) after a request for proposal, with feasibility and marketing studies, and initial permission with land allocation. FOIZ does not publish rents or a timeline for the LLA.

What is the FOIZ Petroleum trading NOC?

The Petroleum trading NOC is FOIZ's no-objection certificate for petroleum trading, issued to the Fujairah Environment Authority after FOIZ collects documents from six bodies including Fujairah Municipality, Civil Defense and MOEI. It takes 2 to 5 working days, and complex cases up to 20.

How long does a FOIZ Construction NOC take?

A Construction NOC for a new project takes 5 to 7 working days, and complex cases up to 15, according to FOIZ's 2026 catalogue. FOIZ warns that a new terminal needing clearances from affected parties may take considerably longer.

Do I need a federal petroleum trading permit inside FOIZ?

Yes, for petroleum products. Federal Law No. 14 of 2017 applies to the whole UAE including free zones, and no one may trade petroleum products without authorisation. Trading includes storing, transporting, distributing, selling and purchasing.

Does the petroleum trading law cover crude oil?

No. Federal Law No. 14 of 2017 says crude oil is not among the petroleum products it covers. It applies to hydrocarbon gas and derivatives such as gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, base oils, lubricants, bitumen and biofuel.

Who issues the petroleum Trading Authorisation in Fujairah?

The law gives that job to the local competent authority, and the sources reviewed for this guide do not name Fujairah's. FOIZ's Petroleum trading NOC goes to the Fujairah Environment Authority with input from MOEI. Confirm the issuing authority with FOIZ and MOEI before applying.

Do I need an Emirati partner for petroleum trading?

Not in a free zone, according to Al Tamimi's November 2022 analysis. The implementing resolution requires a 51% UAE national share for legal-entity applicants, except companies established in free zones, special development zones and investment zones. Confirm how MOEI treats a FOIZ company.

Do paper oil traders need FOIZ?

Usually not. A trader who does not own tanks, land or barges in Fujairah has no reason to lease FOIZ land and can run from a Dubai free zone desk. Whether purely documentary trades need the federal Trading Authorisation is not settled by the law's text, so take advice.

How do I get a bunkering licence in Fujairah?

Bunker licences are issued by the Port of Fujairah, whose February 2026 tariff refers to them, but the port does not publish the criteria, fee or term. Ask the Fujairah Ports Authority for its current requirements in writing.

How many licensed bunker suppliers are there in Fujairah?

There were 12 licensed suppliers on the list in early 2021, according to S&P Global Platts as reported by Ship & Bunker. That figure is dated. Ask the Port of Fujairah for the current list.

What does a bunker barge exemption certificate cost?

The Marine Charge Exemption Certificate for a bunker barge up to 90 metres costs AED 69,000 a year under the Port of Fujairah tariff effective 1 February 2026. Shorter terms cost AED 57,000 for nine months, AED 39,000 for six, AED 21,000 for three and AED 8,250 for one.

Are mass flow meters mandatory for bunkering in Fujairah?

No mandate was found as of November 2026. In 2023 the Port of Fujairah said it was looking at mass flow meters and would encourage a country-wide UAE approach. Check with the port before specifying a barge.

What environmental approvals does a FOIZ terminal need?

A FOIZ terminal needs FOIZ's HSEIA review, safety study approval, Mechanical Completion Certificate and Pre-Startup Safety Review, and must follow Codes of Practice COP-001 to COP-010. The Fujairah Environment Authority regulates the environment, but its process and fees were not publicly readable in 2026.

Is FOIZ a VAT Designated Zone?

Yes. The FTA's Designated Zones list includes FOIZ and Fujairah Free Zone, both from 1 January 2018. Services and energy supplied in a Designated Zone are still treated as supplied inside the UAE.

Is bunker fuel zero-rated for VAT in the UAE?

Possibly, but not automatically. Article 33(2)(a) of the VAT Executive Regulation zero-rates goods supplied for use on a ship engaged in international transport, while Article 35(1) excludes fuel from the separate means-of-transport relief. No FTA clarification on bunkers was found, so take advice.

Can a FOIZ company get 0% corporate tax?

Possibly. Qualifying Free Zone Person status can give 0% on qualifying income such as logistics services or qualifying commodity trading, but it is not confirmed that FOIZ counts as a free zone for corporate tax. Otherwise the ordinary rates of 0% to AED 375,000 and 9% above apply.

Does the 51% rule affect an oil trader that owns storage?

Yes. Under Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025, the qualifying commodity trading route is lost if 51% or more of a QFZP's revenue comes from distribution, warehousing, logistics or inventory management. A group can avoid this by holding storage and trading in separate entities, subject to advice.

Does Small Business Relief apply to a fuel trader?

It can apply to a trader that is not a Qualifying Free Zone Person, with revenue up to AED 3,000,000, for tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029 under Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026. A QFZP cannot elect it.

Is Fujairah still a safe place to invest in oil storage in 2026?

Fujairah carries real security risk in 2026. MEED reported that an Iranian missile and drone attack set an oil facility ablaze in Fujairah on 4 May 2026, and bunker sales fell 58% in the first nine months of the year. Price insurance, financing and throughput on current data.

Can BusinessDubai.ae set up a FOIZ company?

BusinessDubai.ae has no FOIZ package, and a FOIZ project is quoted case by case. Its standard packages fit the Dubai trading or holding desk beside a Fujairah operation, from AED 12,500 licence-only at Meydan Free Zone or AED 26,900 with one visa on the Dubai mainland.

References

[1] Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. Service portfolio API, 44 services with descriptions, costs ("Contact FOIZ"), durations and remarks, catalogue last updated September 2026. foiz.gov.ae/api/services

[2] Ship & Bunker. "Fujairah Bunker Sales Recover Some but Remain More Than Half Below Last Year", October 2026, data credit FOIZ and S&P Global Commodity Insights: January to September 2026 sales of 2.35 million m3, down 58%. shipandbunker.com

[3] MEED. "Iranian drone attack on Fujairah oil hub injures three", 5 May 2026. meed.com

[4] Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. FAQ page, 2024 archived snapshot: establishment under Law No. 4 of 2011. web.archive.org

[5] MEED. "Fujairah sets up petroleum zone", 28 April 2011: establishment by decree, permits and licences, land leasing remit. meed.com

[6] Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. History timeline API, updated August 2026: 2011 establishment, starting, current and planned capacity. foiz.gov.ae/api/history

[7] Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. Stakeholders API, 2026: core operational stakeholders (terminal operators) and regulators. foiz.gov.ae/api/stakeholders

[8] Port of Fujairah. FOIZ Request for Proposal (RFP) form: fields for land, studies, products, vessels, pipelines and pumping rates. fujairahport.ae (PDF)

[9] Port of Fujairah. Starting a New Business page, with the Fujairah Municipality trading licence application form and the Port Operators Licence application form, accessed 3 November 2026. fujairahport.ae

[10] Federal Law No. 14 of 2017 on Trading in Petroleum Products, English translation (unofficial) hosted by the Port of Fujairah: Articles 1, 3, 4 and 10, and the competent authority's role on environmental safety. fujairahport.ae (PDF)

[11] Al Tamimi and Company. "Trading of Petroleum Products: Focus on the New Regulatory System in UAE", November 2022: permit conditions and the free zone exception to the 51% national partner rule. tamimi.com

[12] Port of Fujairah. Oil business activities page: bunker supply chain from FOIZ terminals via FOTT to the Fujairah Anchorage Area, and bunker barge berths. fujairahport.ae

[13] Port of Fujairah. Port Tariff effective from 1 February 2026: bunker barge wharfage, cross bunkering, STS marine charges and Marine Charge Exemption Certificate fees. fujairahport.ae (PDF)

[14] Ship & Bunker. "Fairdeal Traders Quits Fujairah Physical Bunker Market", early 2021, citing S&P Global Platts: 12 licensed suppliers. shipandbunker.com

[15] Ship & Bunker. "IBIA Convention: Port of Fujairah Mulls Mandatory Mass Flow Meters for Bunkering", 2023. shipandbunker.com

[16] Argus Media. "UAE bans three bunker barges for violations", 2 June 2022. argusmedia.com

[17] Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. FAQ API, 2026: site access, contractor requirements and environmental compliance. foiz.gov.ae/api/faqs

[18] Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. Codes of Practice COP-001 to COP-010, 2026. foiz.gov.ae/api/code-of-practices

[19] Federal Tax Authority. List of Designated Zones for VAT under Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017, Fujairah entries: Fujairah Free Zone and FOIZ, from 1 January 2018. tax.gov.ae (PDF)

[20] Federal Tax Authority. Executive Regulation of Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017 on VAT (Cabinet Decision No. 52 of 2017, consolidated October 2024): Articles 33, 35 and 51. tax.gov.ae (PDF)

[21] UAE Ministry of Finance. Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 Regarding Qualifying Activities and Excluded Activities, 28 August 2025: Articles 1 and 2, including the 51% condition and the logistics and distribution definitions. mof.gov.ae (PDF)

[22] UAE Ministry of Finance. Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026 amending Ministerial Decision No. 73 of 2023 on Small Business Relief, issued 29 July 2026: tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029. MoF financial legislation

[23] Ship & Bunker. "Fujairah Bunker Sales Fell 2.8% in 2025 on Lower VLSFO Demand", January 2026, data credit FOIZ and S&P Global Commodity Insights. shipandbunker.com

[24] Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. FEDCom page API, 2026: weekly inventory data published with S&P Global Platts since January 2017. foiz.gov.ae/api/fedcom

[25] BusinessDubai.ae. Internal data from trading and holding company registrations since 2013, including 2026 standard package prices for Meydan Free Zone, Dubai South, IFZA (partner price) and Dubai mainland. businessdubai.ae