Jafza offers unprecedented market access to 3.5b people

As a vital trade and logistics hub and one of the largest business hubs in the region, DP World’s flagship freezone Jafza is home to over 8,700 customers. The specialised industrial, trading and logistic zone offers unprecedented growth opportunities and market access to over 3.5 billion people, across varied sectors in the Measa region.

The free zone’s ideal location alongside the region’s largest deep-sea Jebel Ali Port, its multimodal connectivity and proximity to the Al Maktoum International Airport, the much-awaited Etihad Railway and key regional highways has proved to be a major attraction for companies. Additionally, owing to its integrated service offerings and provisions including Dual licensing, over 100 Fortune 500 companies prefer Jafza as their regional headquarters.

Incorporating the principles and best practices of trade, the Jebel Ali Free zone (Jafza) has since its inception stimulated trade and investment, facilitating the transfer of skills and knowledge to its partners in the freezone. The number of international firms located in Jafza is an indication of their ongoing success story.

Some of the key segments that contribute to Jafza’s growth figures include Electronics & Electrical, Petrochem, Vehicle & Transport, Retail & General Trading, Machinery & Equipment and Healthcare & Pharma. In terms of trade value, countries such as China, Saudi Arabia and India continue to lead as trade partners. This growth has been complemented by DP World’s Trade Bridges that are a part of the entity’s Dhs2 trillion trade Initiative.

In line with UAE’s strategic goals of enhancing bilateral trade ties with countries around the world, DP World introduces several trade bridges with countries and regions including India, China, Africa, Pakistan, North America and Latin America. DP World’s trade bridges have been accelerators of Jafza’s success. In 2020, the free zone generated trade worth $104.2 billion. In H1 of 2021, the free zone witnessed a 40 per cent growth in new customer registrations.

In 2019, DP World launched the India-UAE Bridge, a trade and investment development initiative that aims to attract Indian businesses to its flagships, Jebel Ali Port and Jafza. Through this endeavour, the entity offers end-to-end solutions to companies and entrepreneurs and acts as a platform that allows ingenious Indian businesses to access markets in the Middle East and the world. The initiative allows Indian companies in various sectors to leverage DP World’s vast portfolio of ports, inland logistics and industrial zones in both UAE & India and globally. This gives companies access to new opportunities and markets and provides seamless supply chain solutions, while also complementing India’s vision of “Make in India to Make for the World” and facilitate profitable investments for Indian businesses.

To supplement business and ensure unhindered trade operations in India and other regions around the world, DP World has also launched CARGOES, its digital logistics platform that will provide customers with a single-window solution for efficient movement of cargo. Additionally, as part of CARGOES, the Trade Finance platform provides financial institutions the opportunity to support SMEs with the capital needed.

Latin America is of strategic importance to Dubai. According to the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), Dubai’s exports, re-exports to Latin American nations reached $60.5 million in Q1 2021, witnessing a 69 per cent leap, with Brazil and Mexico taking the largest market shares. To support this growth, DP World’s Latin American Bridge has played a vital role by inviting Latin American investors to benefit from Jafza, which offers proximity to world markets by way of creating re-export facilities. Its closeness to the Jebel Ali Port that offers 180+ shipping lines and 80+ weekly services, is an added advantage.

As a dynamic base for companies across all sectors, Jafza is also home to key partners from Africa. Additionally, most companies set up their regional headquarters in the free zone to serve both these regions that have immense business growth potential. Taking this into consideration, DP World is capitalising on the competencies of the countries by introducing business bridges that will help to expand its network of logistics operations. DP World gives businesses the opportunity to utilise the entity’s presence across countries in Africa, from ports into Egypt, Senegal and Mozambique, to inland logistics facilities in Rwanda. With Jafza as a blueprint, DP World is also planning three free zones across Africa, in Egypt, Senegal and Somaliland. Together with expanded ports and inland gateways, this network will open up trade with Africa.

More recently, DP World acquired South African company, Imperial Logistics, a leading name that will add significant strategic value to the company given its expansive global network and integrated logistics solutions. The new development will allow DP World to deliver end-to-end solutions to cargo owners across a wider market.