Tuesday 19 March 2024
 
»
 
»
Story

‘Virtual Freight and Logistics Corridor’ ..... launched at official ceremony

Dubai launches ‘Virtual Freight and Logistics Corridor’

DUBAI, May 4, 2015

Dubai Customs and the Department of Economic Development in Dubai (DED) have unveiled the ‘Virtual Freight and Logistics Corridor’, an innovative initiative aimed to sustain the business leadership and competitiveness of the UAE, particularly in Dubai.

The Virtual Corridor will pursue and foster innovation in public service delivery to go beyond the limited notion of ‘customer satisfaction’ and aim for ‘customer happiness’, said a statement.  

The Virtual Corridor was officially launched at a ceremony held in the presence of Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and chairman of DP World; Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, director of Dubai Customs; and Sami Al Qamzi, director general of DED, it added.

Also present were representatives of various government departments and government-related entities, major shipping companies and a number of Dubai Customs’ clients.  

Bin Sulayem said: “Dubai Customs, in partnership with DED, developed the new initiative following an integrated study of the current situation and needs of the freight and logistics sector. It’s a unique automated customs procedure designed to facilitate goods transport between two Dubai Customs centres by road, connecting the point of entry to the point of destination in Dubai, under Cargo Transport Requests submitted by clients for this purpose.”

“The Virtual Corridor connects the seaports, airports and free zones in Dubai on a single platform, enabling hassle-free customs clearance and making the entire process more streamlined, time-saving and cost-efficient without any financial burden,” he said.

This initiative, which assumes special significance with Expo 2020 drawing closer, is expected to enhance the position of Dubai and the UAE on the global trade map, Bin Sulayem further added.

Ahmed Mahboob Musabih said the Virtual Corridor is a major catalyst in the implementation of trade and economic objectives of Dubai Plan 2021. The varied benefits and ease it offers to traders and customers help promote the position of Dubai as a preferred destination for business and investment.

“The pilot phase statistics of the Virtual Corridor point out to the uniqueness and of this initiative and the seamlessness it brings to cargo movement,” said Musabih.

“More than 12,000 transfers of cargo, weighing 64,000 tonnes have been processed since September 2014. Additionally, deposit-related financial burdens have been considerably minimised by some Dh120 million ($32.6 million),” he noted.

Musabih also acknowledged the contribution of the joint project team as well as the companies that partnered with Dubai Customs in the execution of the project’s pilot phase, namely Dubai Express, Aramex, Weiss-Rohlig UAE, DB Schenker, Expeditors International, Gulf Agency, Transguard, Airlink Intl, Agility Logistics, Arabital Shipping, Danzas AEI Emirates, Brinks Global Services, Gava Forwarding, Inchcape Shipping Service Dubai, and Modern Freight.

Approved by the Executive Council of Dubai in 2012, the Virtual Freight and Logistics Corridor Policy was the result of collaborative efforts initiated by DED through a Multimodal Transportation and Logistics Stakeholder Platform in 2011.

“It’s important that we continue working together on this stakeholder platform in order to create efficient systems for upgrading the strengths of this Cluster and move higher up the global value chains. With the Virtual Freight and Logistics Corridors we have taken Dubai to its next level of global competitiveness,” said Sami Al Qamzi.

Al Qamzi added: “The introduction of the Virtual Freight and Logistics Corridors has since reduced the time and cost for transhipment via Dubai significantly.

“This collaborative approach creates the most favourable framework conditions for trade and logistics companies to grow locally as well as regionally, and expand to emerging markets,” he said.

“It will continue attracting new businesses in trade and logistics as well as developing businesses locally, and increasing investment inflows,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service




Tags: DED | Dubai Customs |

More Industry, Logistics & Shipping Stories

calendarCalendar of Events

Ads