Maersk inks deal with Jafza for its first warehousing and distribution centre in UAE

September 22, 2021: Maersk Kanoo UAE has signed an agreement with Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) to set up its first warehousing and distribution (W&D) facility in the UAE. The agreement was signed by Christopher Cook, managing director, Maersk UAE; and Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO and managing director, DP World – UAE region and Jafza, at Maersk West and Central Asia regional headquarter in Dubai. The 10,000 square metres facility will be located within Jafza in Dubai.

With its new W&D facility, Maersk is taking an important step towards building a truly integrated solution for its customers wherein the customers will get a single window access to multiple logistics requirements, not only for the goods flowing in and out of UAE, but also to other Middle Eastern countries who use Dubai as a gateway to global trade.

“At Maersk, we are committed to connect and simplify our customers’ supply chains. And in today’s times, adding flexibility to their supply chains has become more crucial than ever. I am excited that we are taking a solid step in this direction with the announcement of our first W&D facility in the UAE,” said Cook.

“We are proud to welcome Maersk, DP World’s longstanding partner in trade, to set up their first Warehousing & Distribution facility of UAE in Jafza. Combined with the strength of Jebel Ali Port, Jafza creates the ideal multimodal trade and logistics hub in the region, connecting businesses to more than 3.5 billion consumers. This move is building on the legacy of DP World and Maersk, and we look forward to extending our support through their journey with us,” said Bin Damithan.

Maersk’s new W&D facility in Dubai will be an addition to the existing global footprint of over 250 warehouses that cover 1.5 million square metres across 50 countries. The facility will offer a total storage capacity of 80,000 cubic metres and cater to various types of goods across sectors such as petrochemical, retail and lifestyle, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), technology and automotive amongst others. The facility is strategically located with not only a close link to seaport operations but also to the Al Maktoum Airport. This will allow the facility to serve consumers requiring air cross-docking and those moving less-than-container-load (LCL) cargo as well.

The Maersk W&D facility will be powered by state-of-the-art warehouse management system that implements modern technologies and digital solutions for efficient inventory management, track & trace at unit-level and offers rich dashboards for higher visibility and deeper insights. For example, with advanced solutions for expiry date management, wastages in FMCG can be brought down to zero, thus building a cost competitive edge for Maersk’s customers. Cook added, “Our customers deserve solutions that add value and create efficiencies to their supply chains. With our state-of-the-art W&D facility, I am confident that we are poised well to take on this responsibility.”

The W&D facility from Maersk will be an addition to the existing services provided that include ocean shipping, landside transportation, customs clearance, contract logistics and e-comm solutions. Customers taking advantage of integrated solutions from Maersk will benefit from reduced handovers of their cargo through its journey, leading to potentially faster turnaround times, higher visibility, better control and more predictability of their supply chains.