The Central Laboratory at the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) conducted 2,459 laboratory tests during the first half of 2026, compared with 2,368 tests during the same period in 2025, as part of the Corporation’s efforts to strengthen environmental monitoring and support Dubai’s sustainability objectives.
Eng. Abdulla Mohamed Belhoul, CEO of the Department of Planning and Development (Trakhees), said the results reflect Trakhees’ role as an integrated regulator whose work extends beyond licensing to enable safe, sustainable development across its jurisdiction. He added that the Central Laboratory continues to develop its testing capabilities in accordance with the highest standards of quality and efficiency, in line with Dubai’s commitment to maintaining a safe and sustainable environment and expanding the use of advanced technologies in environmental monitoring and analysis.
Belhoul noted that the most frequently requested tests during the first half of 2026 included stack emissions analysis, sewage tank aeration analysis, comprehensive swimming pool and drinking water-quality analysis, wastewater analysis, harbor water-quality analysis, sewage and treated-water analysis, and marine analyses covering phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthic organisms.
During the first half of 2026, the laboratory provided services to 334 customers and conducted 1,566 regulatory tests to strengthen environmental monitoring and verify compliance with applicable environmental standards. These included environmental analyses, harbor water-quality and wastewater analyses, and other water-quality tests.
Belhoul explained that the laboratory conducted a total of 4,385 tests and analyses in 2025, covering 46 types of specialised tests. These comprised three types of environmental tests, nine types of chemical and metals analyses, 19 types of microbiological tests, six types of marine tests and nine types of water-quality analyses.
In 2025, stack emissions analysis recorded the highest frequency, with 1,021 analyses, while benthic organism analysis in sediment samples recorded the lowest frequency, with 118 analyses.
Belhoul said the laboratory contributed to the Dubai Air Quality Strategy 2030 through stack emissions testing and air-quality monitoring. The results supported the achievement of PCFC’s 2025 emission-reduction targets within the Corporation’s jurisdiction in Jebel Ali. This included reducing sulphur dioxide emissions by 179 tonnes, compared with a target of 21 tonnes; non-methane volatile organic compounds by six tonnes, compared with a target of 0.6 tonnes; and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) by 596 tonnes, compared with a target of 71 tonnes.
During 2025, the Central Laboratory also played a pivotal role in supporting the Dubai Reef project to protect marine life, providing marine analysis and biodiversity assessment services within the project’s marine area. The Central Laboratory analysed 126 phytoplankton samples, 150 zooplankton samples and 114 benthic organism samples, supporting efforts to restore marine biodiversity and enhance the sustainability of Dubai’s coastal ecosystems.
Salem AlHammadi, Director of the Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Department at Trakhees, said the Central Laboratory continues to enhance its technical capabilities by adopting the latest technologies. These include the EXO multiparameter sonde, used to monitor water-quality indicators at different depths; a system for the continuous monitoring of noise levels over a 24-hour period; and the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), which has transformed manual procedures into fully automated processes while enhancing operational efficiency and improving data accuracy, integrity and traceability.
AlHammadi added that the laboratory is accredited by the Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC) in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 and operates in line with the highest quality and efficiency requirements under the supervision of a specialised team of qualified experts.
The Central Laboratory continues to strengthen environmental monitoring and sustainability through advanced analytical services, contributing to a healthier and safer environment across Dubai.