Can the Gulf support its ports?

This week the US put paid to speculation that it was planning to move its main Gulf naval base from Bahrain to a neighbouring country.

While the Fifth Fleet may be staying in Manama, it has highlighted the stiff competition between Gulf nations to make their harbours the trading hub of choice.

With competitors jostling for position from Fujairah to Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Manama and Doha - can the region really support quite so many large scale ports?

Philip Hampsheir reports.