Dubai?s aerotropolis Dubai World Central is keen to attract small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to enhance its logistics division
Mohsen Ahmad, vice president for logistics at DWC, said, ?Our objective is to bring in more SMEs. We are looking to balance them with the multinationals.?
Recently, UK-based freight solutions company Total Freight International launched the US$4mn Total Freight Logistics Centre at DWC.
Esmail Salim, managing director of Total Freight, said, ?My main purpose is air freight. Many people invested in Jebel Ali Free Zone. We haven?t really done that. We knew that the future is going to be here, especially for air cargo as several airlines are coming to DWC.?
In addition to Total Freight, DHL, Aramex, Kuehne + Nagel and Hellmann-Calipar have already set up facilities at the aerotropolis, which is located near the port town of Jebel Ali and the Al Maktoum International Airport.
In May 2014, Emirates SkyCargo moved its fleet to a new cargo terminal at the Al Maktoum International Airport, following which cargo volumes at the airport surged by 462.5 per cent in Q3 2014 to 243,284 tonnes, revealed Ahmad.
Overall, cargo growth increased 17 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in September 2013 making the Middle East market a lucrative one compared to Europe, stated the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
