Heavy and light industry zones; aquaculture and logistics to provide job opportunities for young people in the maritime industry in Sharq al-Tafria, Hassan Baraka investigates
The board chairman of Dubai Ports World (DP World), Sultan Ahmed Bin Selim, says the company is spreading globally, giving great attention to investment in young people and offering work opportunities in the maritime industry as well as transferring their expertise to more than 30 nations around the world to exchange experience.
DP World is among the largest operators of harbours and maritime stations in the world with a business portfolio of more than 65 stations. Selim stressed that the company was keen on importing the best criteria and expertise from around the globe to crystallise an international standard work experience, leave a clear impact on the development of the state and enhance the country’s competitiveness potential.
Director of Rashed Port in Dubai Muhammad al-Manaie considers himself lucky to be working in such a company which has allowed him to work at a number of harbours inside and outside Dubai and, therefore, transfer and exchange expertise in all the ports he has run throughout his career, including Zayed in Abu Dhabi, al-Sokhna in Egypt, the Containers Station in Jeddah and Algiers Port.
The company has succeeded in implementing the directives of the state and the vision of the leaders of Dubai including the ruler, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashed al-Maktoum, in terms of giving attention to the citizens and preparing them to become entrepreneurs of the future. The vision also includes creating a business environment that is both vital and inspiring to all 30,000 members of the family around the world, Manaie said.
“I never imagined that by joining the work team of Jabal Ali Port and then Rashed Port in 1989 I was taking my first steps towards working with the international operator of maritime stations, and that one day I would be running harbours, not only in the UAE, but also in other nations including Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Egypt.”
He points to the contribution in developing foreign harbours as a board member of ports in Spain and the ports of Karachi, Jeddah and al-Sokhna.
Manaie addressed those wishing to work for a company spot be missed, particularly since DP World is hoping to attract and rehabilitate nationals for a strong career that would help them develop and achieve promotion. Making the best use of international affiliation enhances their experience from a rich source of working systems and various environments, he added.
Adviser to the Minister of Transport for Maritime Transport Ahmed Amin says the state is currently setting up schemes for the Sharq el-Tafria port to make it a pivotal harbour that will include an industry and logistics zone to offer services to ships. The zone will include complementary and light industries along with added-value industries for partially manufactured raw materials and, therefore, add economic value to the state budget.
This requires active management in terms of facilitating procedures through the one-stop-shop system so that investors can obtain a licence from a single window. Investment incentives should also be offered, such as tax exemptions and offer land on a usufruct basis for creating free and active mechanisms for settling investment disputes. Infrastructure should also be established, such as roads, electricity and water, in addition to regulations for maintaining these projects, such as fines, letters of guarantee and timetables for implementation.
The operation would provide not less than 500,000 job opportunities for young people in this area, which includes industrial and logistics zone, farms and aquacultures.
