1980
• Issuance of Decree under the signature of the late Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the then Ruler of Dubai and Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, for the establishment of the Jebel Ali Free Zone.
1985
• The official opening of the Jebel Ali Free Zone with standard-size office units and warehouses to provide ready-built facilities to customers. Started functioning with 19 companies.
1988
• Jafza pioneers in taking e-initiatives. Launches a website to facilitate investors to get information about Jafza facilities and its strategic strengths.
1990
• Jafza, responding to customer needs, expands its facilities for industrial activities as well.
1996
• Crosses 1,000 mark in terms of number of tenants (1,028).
1999
• Jafza wins the Dubai Government Excellence Programme(DGEP) award.
2000
• Achieves ISO Accreditation ISO 9001:1994. Becomes the first ISO-accredited free zone in the world.
• Jafza decides to export its expertise. Forms Jafza International to meet the requirements of overseas governments or private investors seeking to establish a free trade zone or any other type of special economic zone within their country.
2001
• Crosses 2,000 mark in terms of number of tenants (2,062).
• Integration of Dubai Ports, Jafza and Dubai Customs to form the Ports, Customs and Freezone Corporation.
2002
• Jafza achieves ISO 9001:2000
• Jafza takes strong e-initiative. Launches MyJafza portal to facilitate for its customers fast and secured online services.
2003
• Formation of Techno Park, an activity-specific special economic zone. Techno Park was formed under a royal decree.
• Jafza wins coveted Dubai Quality Award.
2004
• Crosses 3,000 mark in terms of tenants (3,800).
• PCFC takes forward-looking e-initiatives. Launches dubaitrade.ae, an e portal to provide fast, flexible and secure electronic services to its stakeholders dubaitrade.ae through the MyJafza link further facilitates Jafza companies to avail themselves of fast and secure e-services.
• Wins “Best Service Sector Dubai Quality Award”
• Wins “Best Government Department Dubai Excellence Government Awards”
• Wins Super Brands for Excellence in Branding UAE
• Integration of Jafza and Jafza International into “Jafza and Business Parks”.
• Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Ports International were also integrated into DP World. Both the entities function under newly created Ports & Free Zones Authority.
2005
• Crosses 5,000 mark in terms of number of tenants. Jafza’s high-profile tenants list includes 140 world’s Fortune 500 companies.
• Launches Dh2 billion South Zone Development to meet surging demand for space at the Free Zone.
2006
• Launch of industry-specific “Dubai Auto Zone” for the auto industry.
• Formation of Dubai World under a Royal Decree as a holding company to take care of all the commercial operations of the PCFC Group and to pursue aggressively the Group’s expansion strategy globally in all possible economic spheres.
