Growth of regional logistics to intensify this year

January 20, 2020

The growth pace of the regional logistics industry is set to intensify in the year 2020 on the back of boosted UAE growth expectations. The UAE is hosting the region’s first EXPO, in 2020, a mega event which is poised to start in October and for which preparations are in full swing. The growth driven by the event alone can bring huge opportunities for the logistics sector.

“There is a lot of optimism on the growth of the UAE as a result of Expo 2020, whether it’s the general economy, the warehousing and logistics industry or the pace and adoption of the smart technology within the logistics space,” said Shailesh Dash, Chairman of Gulf Pinnacle Logistics, GPL. “Expectations of 2020 for UAE are very high. Businesses are preparing for the increased demand on account of the 2020 mega event because of which logistics industry will be a sure beneficiary. The logistics industry will also continue to witness a rapid advancement in technology this year as more players are adopting artificial intelligence technologies which will help them build a more efficient and sophisticated business,” Dash pointed out. “We are excited about the potential growth of the economy and how GPL which owns a portfolio of companies across warehousing, logistics, last-mile delivery and student transportation, will be one of the natural beneficiaries,” he added.

“For example, the last-mile delivery industry is expected to continue its growth trajectory fueled by rapid growth in the e-commerce space. Century Express, one of GPL’s subsidiaries, has upgraded its technology infrastructure and set-up tie-ups with agents in Asia and the Middle East to better serve its domestic and international clients, entering 2020 with the right team and structure,” he added.

WAM

Source: https://www.gulftoday.ae/business/2020/01/20/growth-of---regional-logistics-to-intensify-in-2020

Growth of regional logistics to intensify in 2020, say experts

January 19, 2020

DUBAI, 19th January, 2020 (WAM) -- The growth pace of the regional logistics industry is set to intensify in the year 2020 on the back of boosted UAE growth expectations.

The UAE is hosting the region’s first EXPO, in 2020, a mega event which is poised to start in October and for which preparations are in full swing. The growth driven by the event alone can bring huge opportunities for the logistics sector.

"There is a lot of optimism on the growth of the UAE as a result of Expo 2020, whether it’s the general economy, the warehousing and logistics industry or the pace and adoption of the smart technology within the logistics space," said Shailesh Dash, Chairman of Gulf Pinnacle Logistics, GPL.

"Expectations of 2020 for UAE are very high. Businesses are preparing for the increased demand on account of the 2020 mega event because of which logistics industry will be a sure beneficiary. The logistics industry will also continue to witness a rapid advancement in technology this year as more players are adopting artificial intelligence technologies which will help them build a more efficient and sophisticated business," Dash pointed out.

"We are excited about the potential growth of the economy and how GPL which owns a portfolio of companies across warehousing, logistics, last-mile delivery and student transportation, will be one of the natural beneficiaries," he added.

"For example, the last-mile delivery industry is expected to continue its growth trajectory fueled by rapid growth in the e-commerce space. Century Express, one of GPL’s subsidiaries, has upgraded its technology infrastructure and set-up tie-ups with agents in Asia and the Middle East to better serve its domestic and international clients, entering 2020 with the right team and structure," he added.

Najeeb Kabeer, Managing Director of Century Express, said, "We are optimistic about 2020, which can be a very important year for all of us and we are ready to handle growing volumes."

Rodney Vegas, the General Manager of two other subsidiaries owned by GPL, namely, Abdul Mushen Shipping and So-Safe logistics, said, "We expect higher container movements in and through UAE. Expo 2020 will further embed UAE’s brand image as a global powerhouse and a strong business partner which is reliable and sustainable."

"During the mega event, businesses around the world will showcase their capabilities. Relationships combined with the right technologies are the requisites for the success of logistics businesses in 2020," Rodney added.

Gulf Pinnacle Transport, GPT, a student-bus transportation company, owned by GPL has a similar approach and intends to adopt the latest technologies to enhance student safety and utilisation of its buses through advanced technology in route planning.

Ganesh Sivaraman, Head of GPT, said, "Last year, GPT witnessed strong growth due to a combination of solid organic performance and operational enhancements. Increased GDP growth projections bring growth potential to the education industry which translates to further growth in the school transportation industry and we are very excited about this."

Highlighting that the company is giving rigorous training to its drivers and bus attendants to maintain student safety, he said, "GPT is striving to increase its service quality by incorporating smarter technology and setting a higher benchmark for competitors in 2020."

WAM/Rasha Abubaker/Nour Salman

Source: http://www.wam.ae/en/details/1395302817159 

UAE leads as GCC witnesses cross-border logistics growth

November 26, 2019

Shailesh Dash, chairman of Dubai-based Gulf Pinnacle Logistics

The UAE has taken a leadership position in the GCC, as the region witnesses an unprecedented acceleration in e-commerce spending that has in turn sped up the pace of growth in regional cross-border logistics, according to industry experts.

"Cross-border e-commerce has definitely opened many doors for businesses to expand their audience and serve a larger pool of customers. The rise in disposable income, the surge in digital literacy and increasing number of e-commerce players, are few key drivers of the logistics growth in the region," said Shailesh Dash, chairman of Dubai-based Gulf Pinnacle Logistics (GPL).

The latest reports suggest that the global cross-border e-commerce logistics market is poised to grow by $24.1 billion until 2022, progressing at a CAGR of more than eight per cent during the forecasted period 2018-2022. The value of the e-commerce sector in the UAE, meanwhile, is expected to reach $27.2 billion by 2020, according to a recent study by the World Economic Forum.

"Strengthening the cross-border e-commerce industry is ultimately pushing up the demand for logistics with services such as transportation and warehousing, leading to the sector's growth," he added.

A report by Euromonitor International suggests that non-store retailing - which includes online shopping, direct selling, mobile Internet, social media and home shopping - will grow 78 per cent up to 2023.

"The increasing popularity of cross-border e-commerce has allowed vendors to expand their businesses outside their nearly saturated home ground and tap into the new market. This is boosting foreign trade, thereby enhancing the global competitiveness of the country," said Dash.

Technological advances are further strengthening the growth of the e-commerce logistics market. "The UAE's e-commerce market, which is witnessing an upward trajectory, has a unique growth path compared to both emerging and mature economies. The momentum is being led by the government's adoption of e-commerce payments on platforms such as Dubai Smart City," said Najeeb Kabeer, managing director of Century Express.

Logistics infrastructure readiness is necessary to support the growth of e-commerce. On this front, the UAE is at par with some of the most developed markets in the world.

"The demand for e-commerce logistics will increase in the coming years as a result of increasing cross-border e-commerce activities. The UAE enjoys an advantage as a major global trans-shipment hub with the port of Jebel Ali and Dubai's airports providing a high standard of logistics infrastructure," said Dash.

The UAE, which operates 20 ports that are part of the world's top ports, also leads in terms of having the greatest number of container ship fleets - delivering at least 15 million containers per year.

- business@khaleejtimes.com

Source: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/local/uae-leads-as-gcc-witnesses-cross-border-logistics-growth