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Dubai’s Department of Planning and Development joins WLP

The World Logistics Passport (WLP) has announced that it is expanding in Dubai with the registration of the Department of Planning and Development (Trakhees), which is the regulatory arm of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation in Dubai (PCFC).

Registering as a partner, Trakhees joins the Dubai-based global hub’s roster of leading organisations, including PCFC, Emirates SkyCargo, and DP World among others, and will enable WLP Members to benefit from enhanced efficiencies that will facilitate the continued growth of Dubai’s non-oil external trade.

On the occasion of this partnership, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, praised the WLP programme for its contribution to increasing and improving international trade. He expressed his optimism about Trakhees joining the WLP programme as a partner, as this will support it in its mission to enhance and develop its services in the country.

He also highlighted that the recent partnership between WLP and Trakhees will support the economy, by enhancing productivity within the national logistics sector.

Mike Bhaskaran, CEO of WLP, said: “We are proud of the WLP’s milestone achievements since its launch. To date, we count more than 15 countries in the WLP network and 15 partners in our Dubai Hub. We will continue to make steady strides to bolster trade with countries worldwide and identify opportunities that will strengthen relations across the WLP.”

Recent statistics indicate a 10 per cent growth in Dubai’s non-oil external trade in the first quarter of the year, and trade through free zones in particular rose up by two per cent to Dh135 billion – both positive indicators of the country’s rapid economic recovery.

For his part, Abdullah Belhoul, CEO of the Department of Planning and Development - Trakhees, welcomed the agreement, and has praised the WLP program as “an integral part of the global market to promote international trade.”

“Joining the WLP program will enhance the licensing services to become more competitive, which will open the horizon to reach new markets and increase the resilience of our national economy,” he said.

“With plans geared towards furthering the growth of global trade, the addition of Trakhees will without a doubt facilitate faster trade and optimise costs for WLP members, which in turn will encourage more trade activity,” added Bhaskaran.

The WLP was launched at the 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos and is designed to provide traders with benefits to facilitate access to new markets and diversify trade. As the world’s first multi-modal global freight loyalty scheme, the WLP offers businesses an array of benefits, including quicker clearance and priority handling, which significantly reduces supply chain costs – ultimately making moving goods and services faster and more efficient.

As demonstrated in fully operational hubs, traders and freight forwarders that are members of the WLP can expect to have an annual increase in trade on average of up to 5-10 per cent. Free to join, the WLP is inclusive, covering the entire trade ecosystem from freight and logistics to trade finance.

business@khaleejtimes.com