Dubai centre of business world, says FIATA Chief

Manfred Boes, President of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), was speaking during a high-level delegation visit to Dubai Logistics City (DLC), the first phase of the giant Dubai World Central (DWC) urban aviation community being built in Jebel Ali, just 40 kilometres from the city centre of the Arabian Gulf emirate of Dubai.

'Dubai Logistics City's multi-modal hub concept is unique and FIATA's 98 national member associations - some of which are 125 years old - or our individual members from 150 countries are unequivocal in their opinion that DLC is a catalyst for change,' Boes said.

'In an industry that is historically influenced by traditional norms of governance, the DLC concept of an integrated logistics platform that seamlessly integrates sea-air-land multi-modality makes for an industry path-breaking case study.

'With this development Dubai will truly become the centre of the business world.'

The FIATA President's visit comes in advance of the FIATA World Congress to be hosted by the UAE's National Association of Freight & Logistics (NAFL) in Dubai between 18-22 October this year.

Nearly 1,500 delegates are expected to attend the congress that is being held in Dubai for the second time in less than seven years - a tribute no other country has had in FIATA's 80 year history. FIATA is the largest non-governmental organisation in the field of transportation with a worldwide influence.

'Congress delegates will get a rare opportunity to visit the DLC site and see first-hand the sheer scale and magnitude of this project that so far they may only have heard about,' said Michael Proffitt, CEO, DLC. 'Dubai World Central International Airport's (JXB) runway construction should be nearly complete by the time of the Conference and FIATA members will return home having witnessed history being made.'

Spread over 25 square kilometres DLC, together with JXB, the world's largest airport, and the Jebel Ali Free Zone and Port, provide a single customs-bonded free zone environment and the world's first truly integrated, multi-modal logistics platform. It will be operational by the end of this year.

'FIATA's interest in DLC mirrors that of several other study groups, global logistics service providers and several transcontinental supply chain businesses that want to use Dubai as their supply chain hub,' added Proffitt.

Abdulla Al Falasi, DWC's Marketing and Communications Director stated that Dubai's choice to host the FIATA World Congress is indication of the emirate's stature in the logistics and freight forwarding world.

'DLC's hub proposition will definitely be a highlight at the congress,' he said.

The FIATA delegation included Issa Baluch, Immediate Past President of FIATA and Chairman of Dubai-headquartered Swift Group; Capt Mansoor Al Ghafoor, FIATA Vice President; Ashok Thomas, Secretary-General, NAFL and Ali Al Jallaf, Director, Dubai Cargo Village.