More than 100 experts and executives representing prominent local, regional and international companies and organisations yesterday (December 7) took part in a major industry conference held in Abu Dhabi.

The annual International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA) conference was hosted by Maqta Gateway, a unit of Abu Dhabi Ports, the master developer, operator and manager of the Emirate's commercial and community ports as well as Khalifa Industrial Zone.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, and Dr Noura Al Dhaheri, general manager of Maqta Gateway, opened the one-day event which was held under the theme “Digitalising Trade.”

It was followed by a keynote address given by Alan Long, chairman of IPCSA.

The conference featured 12 speakers and kicked-off with a panel discussion titled: “Strategic Direction of the Global Supply Chain”, during which David Kerr, senior vice president of Cargo at Etihad Airways; and Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail DB, shared their insights and best practices.

Delegates and speakers at the session discussed their digital transformation plans in providing services while benefiting from the strategic location and world-class infrastructure of the UAE which connects them to the most prominent regional and international markets, said a statement from the organisers.

Moreover, they also unanimously agreed on the value of adopting technology and digital systems and the role they play in ensuring business transactions are made faster, easier, more secure, transparent, and of higher quality, it said.

The second panel discussed the topic of “Facilitating Global Trade”. Ahmed Bin Lahej, executive director of customs affairs sector at the UAE Federal Customs Authority; Virginia Cram-Martos, director economic cooperation, trade at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); and Frank Janssens, head of unit at the European Commission - DG TAXUD, were the session’s key panellists.

The third and final panel discussion of the day addressed the event’s theme and highlighted local, regional, and international models presented by Al Dhaheri; Dr Phanthian Zuesongdham, head of smart port programme of Hamburg Port Authority; and Hans Rook, senior business development consultant at Portbase Rotterdam.

During the conference, Rook was appointed as the new chairman of IPCSA. He will be taking up his new role from January, said a statement.

Al Shamisi said: “The UAE has embraced technology and knowledge as a means to create innovative solutions and has become a pioneering country in developing smart cities.”

“We have adopted a similar model in order to realise our vision to become the preferred provider of world-class integrated ports and industrial zone services,” he said.

In her address, Al Dhaheri said: "Digital transformation accelerates our business activities and processes through providing services in an innovative way that boosts competencies."

“We have utilised the most developed technologies to keep up with the requests of our customers in a digital era but technology alone is not enough; it is imperative that we involve young talent in order to revamp the traditional business model and ensure customer satisfaction. With that, we have realised that the future is not only tied to infrastructure development but also smarter approaches and seamless integration of the port community,” she  added.– TradeArabia News Service