Abu Dhabi Ports to drive growth in business through innovation

As part of its continued effort to drive the evolution and growth of its business through innovation, Abu Dhabi Ports, part of ADQ - one of the region’s largest holding companies, is undertaking its most ambitious month-long roster of innovation activities planned to date.

Comprising a wide array of events and activities, the emirate’s dedicated maritime, ports, and logistics trade enabler’s four-week festival of innovation has been organised in conjunction with UAE Innovates, held this year from Feb.21-27, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Abu Dhabi Ports’ innovation division is showcasing a wide variety of proprietary innovations and proof of concepts related to smart containerised data centres, real-time technology, autonomous technology, robotics, AI, in addition to efficient and sustainable energy solutions.

The month also highlights more than 2,100 ideas submitted by employees and stakeholders in 2020, alongside presenting a rich agenda of events based on five dedicated innovation themes: smart and green port technologies, space logistics, ports-emirates duality, and futuristic trade zones and logistics.

The four-week calendar included the launch of the Innovation Café, a dedicated platform that discusses all things innovation-related. The café is complemented by the hosting of several speaker sessions featuring expert insights and analysis on technology from leading executives.

Eiman Al Khalaqi, Vice President of Innovation, Abu Dhabi Ports, said: “This year, Abu Dhabi Ports’ comprehensive catalogue of Innovation Month activities encourages participants to contribute to the national effort of generating value-added innovative solutions that connect to the global ecosystem of innovation.

“Since its inception, our organisation has empowered our people to dare, to dream, and be creative, so that we can stimulate new ways of thinking enabling our organisation to not only expand but to transform how it engages within the realm of global maritime trade and logistics.

“Over the past year, we have invested more than 2,500 hours of innovation training to instil a widespread adoption of sustainable practices and initiatives across our asset portfolio, so we ultimately enhance knowledge and core competencies and serve to strengthen the UAE’s position as a global hub for innovation.”

Open to all employees, stakeholders, local and global partners, as well as the wider community via digital and social media platforms, Abu Dhabi Ports’ Innovation Month is a key component in Abu Dhabi Ports’ corporate commitment to advancing the National Innovation Strategy (NIS).

The pursuit of innovation excellence is core to Abu Dhabi Ports’ corporate philosophy. Recently, at the 34th edition of the annual ideasUK awards, a platform that celebrates employee innovation and engagement in organisations around the world, the company’s fully integrated marine services management app, MARSA, was recognised as a winner in two separate categories - the Digital and Technology Category Award and the Overall Idea of Year 2020 Award.

Established in 2006, Abu Dhabi Ports is a global trade enabler strategically based in the capital of the United Arab Emirates and is part of ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi’s diversified economy.

Abu Dhabi Ports is the region’s premier facilitator of logistics, transport, and trade, bridging Abu Dhabi with the world. Abu Dhabi Ports owns and manages 11 ports and terminals in the UAE and Guinea.

Abu Dhabi Ports’ largest subsidiary is Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD), the integrated trade, logistics, and industrial hub, with the flagship, deep water Khalifa Port as its maritime gateway.

Additional subsidiaries of Abu Dhabi Ports include: Abu Dhabi Marine Services (SAFEEN), Maqta Gateway, MICCO, Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy, Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT), Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal and Fujairah Terminals and ZonesCorp.

Abu Dhabi Ports, part of ADQ, has signed an agreement with Transportr in January 2021, to manage its inland container depot (ICD) in Musaffah, provide handling facilities within the ICD and deliver fully inclusive transportation solutions for containers between the ICD and Khalifa Port.

The agreement will not only improve connectivity between Transportr’s depot located within Ittihad Paper Mill and Khalifa Port, but will also aid in reducing costs for transport of containers, while simultaneously improving the efficiency of the supply chain. Transportr had already secured the movement of over 15,000 TEUS for 2021 from several prominent industrialists located in ICAD 1, 2 and 3, and is expected to increase the handling to over 20,000 TEUs over the course of next year.