DEMINETEC in Dubai

DEMINETEC operates in Dubai

DEMINETEC, a French company headquartered in La Seyne-sur-Mer (Var), delivers civilian demining (pyrotechnic clearance) and unexploded ordnance (UXO) risk management services to public and private clients in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. We cover the full chain from historical pyrotechnic desk study (EHT) to ordnance neutralisation and disposal, in line with French Decree 2005-1325 and international best practice.

Pyrotechnic historical context of Dubai

Dubai itself has been spared direct large-scale combat, but the wider Gulf region carries a significant pyrotechnic legacy from the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War tanker war, the 1990-1991 Gulf War coalition operations staged through UAE ports, and decades of regional naval mining incidents. The Strait of Hormuz and Gulf seabed have hosted multiple mine-laying and mine-clearance episodes, including operations involving French Navy assets.

As a hub for offshore oil and gas, deep-sea construction, port expansion (Jebel Ali, Mina Rashid), reclamation (Palm Jumeirah, Deira Islands, The World) and major infrastructure (Dubai Metro Blue Line, Etihad Rail), Dubai routinely commissions underwater UXO surveys and route surveys for pipelines and cables. Historical aerial bombs, naval mines and abandoned ordnance from regional conflicts can still be encountered.

International contractors operating in Dubai increasingly apply European and French pyrotechnic standards, including the Decree 2005-1325 framework, to satisfy IFC Performance Standard 4, lender requirements and corporate HSE policies for offshore and onshore developments.

Our services in Dubai

Historical pyrotechnic desk study (EHT)

Document research in national and foreign archives to qualify pyrotechnic risk on a site (bombings, combat, depots, ranges).

Pyrotechnic safety study (ESP)

Residual risk assessment, definition of effect zones, safety perimeters and collective protective measures.

Magnetometric geophysical survey

On-site detection of ferromagnetic anomalies, surface or deep, onshore or underwater.

UXO clearance

Extraction, identification and neutralisation / disposal of munitions by our NEDEX / EOD-qualified operators.

Underwater expertise

Survey and clearance in ports, rivers and offshore environments, in partnership with our group company SEMTEC.

In Dubai, a port/coastal city, our teams deploy their underwater expertise (magnetometric seabed survey, ordnance identification, technical diving) to secure basins, quays, channels and submerged structures.

Why choose DEMINETEC for Dubai?

French licensed company, ISO 9001 and MASE certified, compliant with French Decree 2005-1325.
Teams of former French Navy and Army EOD operators (NEDEX / EOD qualifications).
Over 30 years of accumulated experience in France and on international projects.
Onshore and underwater intervention capacity through the DEMINETEC group (SEMTEC, GEODE, DEMINETEC ECG).
Quick response: quote within 48 hours, rapid mobilisation in France and abroad.

War history and explosive contamination in Dubai

Project Masam is a multilateral humanitarian land-mine clearance project launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Yemen in June 2018. It operates with the Yemen Executive Mine Action Center during Yemen’s ongoing and active conflict, clearing territory of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance. Humanitarian clearance follows the movement of armed forces from an area and aims to survey and completely secure locations for civilians, livestock, vital facilities, infrastructure and returning displaced populations.

The Houthis have continued to manufacture and plant mines and improvised explosive devices during the current conflict. In April 2017, Human Rights Watch called on Houthi militias to stop using landmines and respect the Ottawa Treaty. In April 2023, Project Masam’s Managing Director Ousama Algosaibi stated that Houthi mines had affected entire villages, agricultural land, schools and water wells. In October 2023, he said that the anti-tank and anti-personnel mines being found were Houthi-manufactured rather than older mines existing in Yemen before the war. The project has campaigned since 2018 for maps and coordinates of minefields, while the Yemeni Ministry of Legal Affairs and Human Rights stated in 2023 that the Houthis had refused to provide mine maps to the United Nations. Project Masam expanded into Midi district, Hajjah province, in September 2025 after a month-long field survey.

Areas and structures concerned

Villages
Roads and paths
Water sources and wells
Schools
Agricultural land
Minefields
Vital facilities and infrastructure

Expected ordnance and implications for survey

The explosive hazards cited include anti-personnel mines, anti-tank mines, improvised explosive devices, homemade and locally built devices, unexploded ordnance and other explosive remnants of war. Project Masam also reports single-item and multi-item demolitions, bulk demolitions and technical investigation of improvised devices. Clearance follows international demining standards and includes survey, securing suspected and confirmed hazardous areas, comprehensive clearance, and accounting for and destroying every mine found so it cannot be used again.

FAQ: explosive risk in Dubai

Which explosive hazards have been identified in Yemen’s contaminated areas?

The identified hazards include anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, improvised explosive devices, homemade and locally built devices, unexploded ordnance and other explosive remnants of war. Project Masam states that anti-tank and anti-personnel mines found in Yemen are Houthi-manufactured rather than older mines that existed before the war.

How are contaminated areas surveyed and cleared?

Operations include rapid response, securing suspected and confirmed hazardous areas, emergency Explosive Ordnance Risk Education, area survey and clearance, and comprehensive removal in line with international demining standards. Every mine found must be accounted for and destroyed. Explosive Ordnance Disposal specialists and technical mentors support local clearance teams.

Reference : Wikipédia — Masam Project

Territorial coverage

DEMINETEC operates in Dubai and across United Arab Emirates from our French head office (285 avenue Marcel Paul, 83500 La Seyne-sur-Mer, France). We mobilise teams and technical assets to fit each mission: documentary studies, short field surveys, or long-duration clearance operations.

Frequently asked questions about UXO clearance in Dubai

Which munitions are typically found?

In Dubai and across United Arab Emirates, the most frequently recovered items include artillery shells, hand grenades, landmines, aerial bombs and — in coastal areas — naval mines. Exact typology depends on the site history and is the focus of the prior historical desk study (EHT).

Does French Decree 2005-1325 apply abroad?

French Decree 2005-1325 governs civilian pyrotechnic clearance on French soil. Internationally, DEMINETEC uses it as a best-practice benchmark alongside IMAS (International Mine Action Standards) and the contractual requirements specific to United Arab Emirates.

How long does a mission in Dubai typically last?

Duration varies with surface area, investigation depth and anomaly density. An EHT desk study takes 2-6 weeks, a magnetometric survey from a few days to several months, and active clearance from a few weeks up to multiple years for major projects.

Do you operate underwater?

Yes. Through our subsidiary SEMTEC and the DEMINETEC group, we provide commercial diving, underwater magnetometry and submerged-ordnance neutralisation for ports, rivers, lakes and coastal areas.

Contact DEMINETEC for Dubai

For any historical study, diagnostic or pyrotechnic clearance request, contact our teams:

DEMINETEC SAS
285 avenue Marcel Paul
83500 La Seyne-sur-Mer, FRANCE
Tél: +33 (0)9 52 51 00 63
Email: contact@deminetec.com