Dubai Customs recently held a strategic meeting with Emirates SkyCargo, the air freight division of Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, to discuss plans for integration and the transportation of goods between air and sea freight. The objective is to leverage intelligent logistics solutions provided by Dubai Customs to expedite cargo movement, enhance global supply chain flexibility, and support Dubai’s economic goals of developing a sophisticated and interconnected trade and logistics ecosystem.
The extensive meeting took place at the Jebel Ali Customs Center, attended by Mohammad Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Acting Director of Air Freight Centers, Walid Bin Darwish, Director of Maritime Customs Centers, along with several inspection directors. From Emirates SkyCargo, Abbas Haji, Vice President of Air Freight Operations, Hendrik Liesens, Vice President of Operations and Planning, and Hamid Al Houti, Director of Regulatory Affairs for Air Freight were present.
During the meeting, they showcased an advanced system for inspecting both heavy and light cargo vehicles and large equipment at Jebel Ali Port using X-ray scanning technology. This process enhances the port’s inspection capacity and speeds up procedures, reducing inspection times from six hours manually to just five minutes. The device operates in two modes: stationary, where a vehicle remains still, and mobile, where the vehicle is scanned while passing through the machine.
Significant Opportunity
Mohammad Abdullah Al Suwaidi emphasized that the meeting represents a crucial opportunity for aligning the visions of public and private sectors, implementing best practices to facilitate trade, and achieving greater speed and efficiency in the supply chain. Plans were discussed regarding the integration of goods transport by air and sea, which bolsters Dubai’s competitiveness as a leading global trade hub.
Abbas Haji stated, “Collaborating with Dubai Customs enhances our ability to monitor shipments accurately and provide integrated logistics solutions that ensure timely delivery while fully complying with customs procedures.”
Hendrik Liesens pointed out that the connection between sea and air transport extends beyond the transportation itself, encompassing planning, data integration, and coordinating efforts among various parties to ensure operational speed and efficiency, thus minimizing potential delays and reducing inspection times for each shipment.
Walid Bin Darwish confirmed that Dubai Customs is focused on developing an intelligent environment for monitoring shipments, contributing to a balance between speed and efficiency, which supports businesses and investors through the automation of customs procedures.
Supply Chains
The meeting concentrated on enhancing the smooth flow of global supply chains from Dubai. Discussions included integrating digital systems and logistics services between maritime ports and air freight centers within the emirate to ensure precise tracking of commercial shipments and facilitate the seamless transition of goods from sea containers to air freight.
This meeting marks a significant step in establishing Dubai as a fully integrated global logistics center capable of connecting Middle Eastern markets with the world while reducing operational time and costs and ensuring compliance with the highest international customs standards.
Dubai Customs also highlighted its ongoing efforts to develop innovative logistics solutions that incorporate modern technology and artificial intelligence, enhancing Dubai’s capacity to address global supply chain challenges and ensuring trade fluidity under various conditions. These initiatives align with Dubai’s economic objectives to secure the emirate’s position as a strategic hub for global trade, linking East and West.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the importance of continued coordination and collaboration between Dubai Customs and Emirates SkyCargo, as well as the expansion of partnerships to adopt smart systems and innovative solutions. Both parties indicated that the upcoming phase will witness further integration of operations and development of joint initiatives that support safe and sustainable trade while meeting future demands, thereby enhancing investor and client confidence in Dubai’s customs and logistics framework.