CASE STUDY
How is the company adopting and using technologies like AI , robotics , Blockchain , IoT and automation to enhance its services and operations ?
What do you see as the biggest challenge that the company faces on its Digital Transformation journey in the Middle East ?
AI , robotics , Blockchain , IoT , automation , cloud , 5G , Big Data , etc are some of the digitalisation tools identified very early by DP World and deployed across our assets to achieve next-generation automation and efficiency . We accelerated the already planned roll-out of the platforms to help companies meet the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis . Our vision is to digitalise supply chains leveraging our worldwide infrastructure of ports , terminals , economic zones and other assets .
Our new platforms are moving the management of moving cargo online . It will enable our customers to be more efficient and increase the visibility and predictability of supply chains .
Where is the company at in terms of its Digital Transformation journey and what is the digital roadmap for Jafza managed by DP World UAE Region ?
Digital Transformation in the whole Middle East is garnering more importance by the day . With trade and logistics embracing the changes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution , DP World UAE Region too is evolving every day .
The recently published Trade in Transition report , commissioned by DP World , found that almost everyone of the companies surveyed was embracing at least one new technology , including cloud computing , as they planned forward from the pandemic .
Jafza , DP World ’ s flagship free zone , is an integrated and important part of our transformation journey . The digital initiatives taken by Jafza impact all the 9,000 plus customers from every sector associated with the free zone . The impact is further felt by the 3.5 billion people in economies across the region connected to the Jafza ecosystem .
At the moment , with Etisalat ’ s partnership , Jafza has been able to portray how 5G technology can revolutionise the way companies operating in the free zone will do business in the future . Our world-class plug-and-play infrastructure connects traders globally through Jebel Ali Port and its Smart Trade solutions .
The digital roadmap for Jafza is simple and embraces frontier technologies to continuously enable smart trade capabilities across our business portfolio .
Globally , 90 % of everything consumed today is traded across boundaries . This huge volume of trading results in multiple transactions at various levels . DP World UAE Region identifies itself as a smart trade enabler and believes challenges are opportunities to achieve the best smartly . A major part of our smart trade consists of continuously introducing technological advancements and innovations to help simplify this huge volume of trade across the globe .
As a global logistics business spanning six continents , DP World is committed to creating long-term partnerships that help to solve cargo movement challenges , deliver consistency and drive value and growth .
Technology architecture , business , IT and operations need to be modern and flexible , and they must work together in different ways . Many companies in the UAE and the Middle East are still following traditional operating models . For companies like DP World UAE Region , following lean and agile models , it is a challenge to move these traditional players into the new era of conducting trade and logistics business . We overcome this challenge with a simple way forward – if our customer does not have a system , we will build one . We are engaged in large customer testing of an in-house , global track-and-trace programme we call Cargoes Flow and also an enterprise resource planning ( ERP ) tool called Cargoes Runner . Both are built entirely from the ground up , using 100 % DP World resources .
How do you see DP World evolving in the next 24 months and what role do you want the company to play in enhancing Dubai ’ s economic standing in the region ?
The industry at large is getting in on the broader trend of Digital Transformation , by using new platforms and technologies that significantly enhance supply chain visibility and , therefore , efficiency . The pandemic has provided the impetus we all were waiting for , so much so 96 % of Middle Eastern companies are reconfiguring their supply chain . More than 50 % of these firms are looking at time horizon of 12 to 24 months to complete their reconfiguration processes .
Our efforts are in line with the UAE ’ s 2030 digital goals , reinforcing the economy of the country and aiding the industry . Frontline technologies such as robotics , automation , IoT , Big Data , virtual reality and cybersecurity play an integral role in helping DP World UAE Region
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