Dubai South to invest Dh1 bn in logistics sector
With key focus on logistics sector in the next few years, Dubai South will be investing Dh1 billion in the development of facilities and infrastructure, said Khalifa Al Zaffin, executive chairman, Dubai South.
Sep 20, 2018: With key focus on logistics sector in the next few years, Dubai South will be investing Dh1 billion in the development of facilities and infrastructure, said Khalifa Al Zaffin, executive chairman, Dubai South.
He was speaking after the opening of new cargo terminal by RSA National, a joint venture between US-based National and the UAE-based RSA Global, at Dubai World Central (DWC) in Dubai South. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports; president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; chairman and CEO of Emirates Group, and Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports, attended the opening ceremony.
"We have witnessed impressive freight growth at DWC since it first opened in 2010. The airport has quickly ascended the global rankings for international freight volumes and is now ranked in the top 20. Al Maktoum International Airport is seeing more flights from Russian airlines. However, some of the operations of Emirates airline and flydubai will be shifted towards Al Maktoum airport during the runway refurbishment next year," said Griffiths.
Spread over 13,000 square metre, Abhishek Ajay Shah, co-founder and group CEO of RSA Global, said the company has invested Dh50 million in the first phase in the newly-opened facility. The second phase will see an additional 18,000 square metre expansion with much higher investment in line with the growth of logistics and aviation sector in Dubai. The company currently operates 25 facilities in three countries - UAE, India and Kenya. "We are looking at growing extensively at China, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. We will follow sustainable model of similar set up with end-to-end services," Shah said.
Jacob Matthew, president - ME and Pac Rim and board member, National said, "Non-oil sectors such as manufacturing, aviation and logistics are important contributors to the GDP with a contribution expected to account for nearly 90 per cent of the economy by 2025. The cargo industry itself is witnessing major developments and recently recorded robust growth. Innovation in the transport industry is important, and as logistics providers with our own aircraft fleet, we constantly strive to improve efficiency around the movement of goods and also customer service," Matthew added.
