(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) hisham al shirawi, second vice-chairman of dubai chamber, who is heading a delegation to Hamburg, said Dubai, a global leader in maritime industry, would seek to develop advanced and competitive technology to maintain its top ranking in in the global maritime industry.
In an exclusive interview given to Khaleej Times, Al Shirawi also sounds very upbeat about Dubai's future as a maritime hub. According to Al Shirawi, future prospects for Dubai's sea freight appear to be bright with predictions of six per cent annual compound growth rate during the three-year period from 2012 to 2014. Excerpts from the interview.
What are the existing areas of cooperation between Dubai and Hamburg to promote air and sea freight?
Dubai, no doubt, enjoys a strategic position in the maritime industry in the region and is on par with the best world practices in the areas of port management and ship repairing and services. Still, the emirate cannot rest on its laurels and has to continuously develop advanced and competitive technology needed to maintain its leading position in the global maritime industry.
Several key areas exist in the logistics sector for joint cooperation between Dubai and Hamburg including research and development in the production of shipping components and systems automation, provision of ship financing and management, development of rules and regulations concerning the maritime industry in Dubai, adoption of complete transportation solutions to ease shipping congestion, marketing services for technical products and the establishment of intermediate distribution centres to facilitate procurement services, increasing port services and capacities to handle larger vessels and container vans, and finally the training of young workers.
Also, Dubai has set a benchmark to excel in the maritime field, but it needs advanced technology and industry experts to enhance its capacity for the development of offshore technology in the areas of drilling, exploration, production and environmental protection which hold great importance in the modern maritime industry. Hamburg's experience with offshore technology and wind energy is fitting and in accordance with the needs of the Dubai maritime industry. Therefore, a very strong synergy of joint cooperation exist between the two sides and on our part, we look forward to benefit from our participation in this 25th edition of the Shipbuilding, Machinery and Marine Technology exhibition by enhancing our expertise and developing our capabilities in order to maintain the leading position of Dubai in the maritime sector.
How would you evaluate Dubai's maritime sector today?
Dubai, which is home to a thriving maritime and shipping industry, has recently seen a remarkable boom largely driven by shipbuilding and container management as the emirate is blessed with an excellent location and highly developed infrastructure. The future prospects for Dubai's sea freight appear to be bright with predictions of six per cent annual compound growth rate during the three year period from 2012 to 2014.
Also, Dubai has highly developed and modern ports and logistic facilities like, for example, the Jebel Ali Port which is the world's largest man-made harbour with a capacity of 67 berths. It is managed by DP World, which is among the largest marine terminal operators in the world with 60 terminals across six continents. Meanwhile, Dubai Drydocks, which is said to be the best shipyard in the region, has built, repaired and maintained more than 6,000 vessels and oil rigs since its inception. Also, construction work at Dubai Maritime City is ongoing and when completed, will be a mixture of development projects for the maritime industry. Meanwhile, the expansion of Dubai Drydocks is likely to increase its capacity for shipbuilding which will further enlarge shipbuilding and repairing facilities in the region.
What do you expect to achieve from this trade mission?
This particular trade mission, which is organised in collaboration with our strategic partner, the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, who we count among our closest global partners, also serves our purpose of strengthening communication and establishment of new partnerships and joint cooperation between the business communities of Dubai and Hamburg as well as the exchange of expertise and insights on sustainable business practices in the maritime sector.
We are hoping for positive results as major Dubai maritime and shipping companies are participating in the exhibition while networking and building up trading ties by signing new agreements with the global business leaders in the application of eco-friendly ship repairing services as well as the provision of financial facilities to the maritime companies in Dubai. Similarly, we are seeking to promote Dubai's maritime industry and the emirate's strategic location as an international trade and transshipment hub.
Recently, it has been noticed that Dubai Chamber is targeting new and emerging markets of the world. What is your take on this issue?
That is right. Dubai Chamber has recently set up a new strategy to expand its members' outreach to new and emerging markets of the world while promoting the emirate's business competitiveness in those areas and ultimately attracting international companies to Dubai. To this effect, we will be opening a series of representative offices in key destinations around the world as part of our initiative to stimulate businesses in Dubai by attracting foreign direct investments to the emirate coming in from the emerging markets in light of the emirate's status as a gateway to the region and an East meets West destination connecting far corners of the world. We also feel that our participation in this global maritime exhibition in Hamburg will help us with our initiative of reaching out and attracting new investors to Dubai.
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