Under the theme of “Power of Knowledge to Promote the International Trade and the Prosperity of World Economy” and with the participation of Dubai Customs, the fifth World Customs and Trade Forum kicked off in China from the period 24th to 25th November, 2011.

More than 400 high level delegates from customs and business, international organizations and customs administrations, as well as managers from multinational corporations, diplomatic community, policy-makers and many others gathered at the two-trade event to discuss topics including the customs-trade partnership and management of customs administrations.

Mr. Hussam Jumaa Mohammed, Head of the Corporate Business Architect Section at Dubai Customs represented the Department in the Forum. He discussed a working paper under the title of “Model of the Knowledge Department and the Promising Corporation at Dubai Customs”. The presented working paper covered the experience of Dubai Customs in relation to the spread of knowledge and defined concept of the promising corporation, its factors and key features.

Mr. Hussam emphasized that one of the key objectives of Dubai Customs is to focus on the documentation and spreading of knowledge amongst employees to ensure wise investment of intellectual capitals in the process of immediate decision-making, supporting effective corporate performance, providing solutions for improvement, creativity and innovation towards achieving the future corporation.

Mr. Hussam also explained that the Department has carried out a number of initiatives in relevance to spread of awareness culture and involvement of employees compliance with knowledge. The initiative programs encompassed an intensive intranet awareness program via the intranet, regular organization of awareness workshops, training program and launch of knowledge website.

Mr. Hussam reiterated that the objective of implementing knowledge management is to target corporate performance development, depending basically on continued and consistent efforts to supporting and promoting knowledge availability, explaining that in its context, the connotation of a promising corporation implies: a corporation that provides learning facilities to all employees to prepare it for sustainable change and improvement towards achieving the challengeable objectives of itself, individuals and the entire community in which it operates, taking into account that the needs for learning increase when the indications of productivity, quality and performance level decline.

Mr. Hussam has also discussed the (B2G) service which is considered one of the most advanced Customs services in the field of e-business transactions delivered to its customers and it helps to enable the external systems to communicate online with Mirsal2 system which means linking the clients systems to Dubai Customs Mirsal2 without the need of human intervention. He also explained the main features that have been achieved and the benefits, especially, in respect of reducing time, cost and efforts in a way that attracting all customers to promptly join this e-service which is seen a clear example for effective strategic partnership between the government and private sectors along with the enhancement of economic status and business activities in the UAE.

Through the system, clients can submit their customs declarations of the shipment once in their own internal systems and then automatically transfer the entire declarations into Mirsal2

At the end of the Forum, a discussion session was conducted and the Dubai Customs representative shared in the interview, replying to all questions raised by the attendees from business leaders and officials. The participants praised Dubai Customs effective interaction and ascertained that the working-paper presented by Dubai Customs is one of the best implemented practices.

Award recognises HBMeU’s innovative project “Intellectual Property, a Nation’s Fortune and Minds’ Wealth”

May 7, 2011

Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU), a leader in the field of e-Learning and quality management in the Arab World, recently won the first place in the Dubai Customs IPR Award competition. The award was presented during a ceremony hosted by Dubai Customs to commemorate World International Property Day, in the presence of several prominent personalities and officials from local, federal and GCC government authorities, as well as representatives of diplomatic and consular delegations in the UAE.

HBMeU was awarded the first place in recognition of its project titled “Intellectual Property, a Nation’s Fortune and Minds’ Wealth”, which focuses on launching a new website for intellectual property rights and also covers the inclusion of articles by IPR specialists, brochures, and illustrations about IPR issues. The project also includes organising of educational and promotional tours targeting IPR protection, awareness-raising campaigns, and internal and external educational workshops in coordination with concerned corporations.

Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMeU, expressed his pleasure on receiving this award, which reflects the constant efforts and the common goal of HBMeU and Dubai Customs of creating a safe, innovation-oriented community. “We would like to reaffirm our commitment to work with different competent authorities to encourage innovation and ensure protection of intellectual property within the scientific research and academic communities, in line with the directions of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of HBMeU, to reach leadership and excellence, and complementing His Highness’ saying ‘We always strive to be number one’,” said Dr. Al Awar.

“Intellectual property has become one of the most important issues today as it represents human creativity. There is a pressing need to protect intellectual property rights given its vital role in supporting our knowledge-based economy and enhancing economic, social, technological, and cultural development. As part of our vision to promote a culture of creativity and innovation within the education sector, we were keen to participate in this contest by offering a creative project that introduced a complete mechanism covering all educational, legal, and proactive measures needed to combat piracy and IPR infringement in the Arab world. The project also features many proposals including the launch of a new independent TV channel dedicated to IPR issues and innovation, as well as organising world-class conferences and presenting awards to creative Arab minds for their hard work,” Dr. Al Awar concluded. 

Dubai – 15 March 2011:

Dubai Customs organized in Zabeel Saray Hotel on Tuesday 15 March 2011 the annual gathering for its stakeholders and clients as part of cooperation with them and celebration of the shared achievements.

With the attendance of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman, Dubai Airports, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, HE Ahmed Butti Ahmed, Executive Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, Director General of Dubai Customs inaugurated the event. A number of senior officials from ministries, government departments, federal authorities and public and private companies, as well as a number of major clients attended the event. 

In his opening speech, HE said that the department has established a special unit that aims at enhancing the department’s partnerships with different entities following the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai which focuses on excellence, innovation, quality, and helping Dubai move forward to become one of the leading cities in the world.

“As for clients, Dubai Customs understands always the importance of communication with them continuously in order to meet their needs and develop relations with them. For that reason, we established Dubai Customs’ Consultative Council which aims, in the first place, to listen to clients’ remarks and try to solve any setbacks that may occur in their dealing with the department. We also adopted a “secret shopper” plan to know what the client is actually facing while dealing with the department” he added.

For his part, Mr. Ahmed Mahboob Musabah, Executive Director of Clients Management Division said that Last year was laden with achievements that serve our work and reflect our enthusiasm in raising client and stakeholder satisfaction. In terms of customer service, we launched the electronic clearance system “Mirsal 2”which is considered as a quantum leap in the history of customs work due to its immense potentials and advanced technologies. It enables clients to finalize their different transactions online on a 24/7 basis, and helps in minimizing costs and optimizing revenues, and reducing time needed to do different transactions that doesn’t involve risk to less than two minutes.

“In order to encourage major clients to do their work online through “Mirsal 2”, we launched a B2g channel to enable these companies finalize their work and pay the fees online. We also launched an integrated inspection system in which we inspect moving trailers using scanning techniques without a need to stop them or inspect them manually. One machine in this new system can inspect 150 vehicles per hour “he added.

“The department has recently completed rebuilding the coastal berth at Rashid Port to be ready for any expected increase in traffic in the creek in the near future. We also added an additional gate in Jebel Ali Port to meet the expected increasing demand of the port’s services” he explained

A documentary on Dubai Customs’ achievements and activities during 2010 was displayed followed by a show performed by one of the department’s inspectors that reflected the huge efforts of the department in preventing passage and circulation of fraud products.

At the end of the event, HE Ahmed Butti Ahmed, along with a number of Dubai Customs’ executive directors honored some of the most prominent clients who played a notable role in facilitating customs work.

Jiby John George, Supply Chain Manager - Retail, AlFuttaim Group said that Dubai Customs has played a vital role in the Supply Chain Operations of the Alfuttaim Retail Division and that the event is a chance to cement the rapport and relationship between Alfuttaim Retail and Dubai Customs.

“This Success of our Relationship is only possible because of the True Partnership approach that Alfuttaim Retail and Dubai Customs enjoy and also in  the coming years we would like to broaden the cohesive approach  to help Alfuttaim Retail / Dubai Customs partnership in the Region  reach a level everyone wants to benchmark with” he added.

• Dubai first City in Middle East to adopt paperless cargo operations
• Industry savings of over US$ 4 billion annually from implementation of new system

Dubai, May 15, 2010: Aramex, the global logistics and transportation solutions provider, has joined Dubai Customs and Emirates Airline in implementing the e-freight system, a first-of-its-kind initiative for the cargo industry in the Middle East. The initiative, spearheaded by Dubai Customs and Emirates Airline, makes Dubai the first city in the Middle East to adopt paperless cargo operations.

The new e-freight system provides paper-free operations to enhance trade movement by allowing airlines, freight forwarders and customs administrations to exchange electronic information and e-documents. The e-freight system will continuously reduce the number of paper documents that every air cargo shipment carries with it.

The e-freight initiative by Dubai Customs is in line with their continuing commitment to support Dubai’s position as the principal trading hub of the region through the introduction and implementation of world-class systems and procedures. Dubai Customs has been working closely with other government departments and the private sector to facilitate faster and easier processing of trade movement in Dubai. Currently, Dubai Customs processes 85 per cent of all declarations through electronic channels.

“The new system to deliver e-commerce trading has been developed after an extensive examination of the country’s existing mechanism for freight clearance and the direct, tangible benefit the new system holds for all stakeholders. In 2009, Dubai Customs cleared over 2.5 million declarations transported by air; industry studies have shown the potential to reduce the transportation of 62 per cent of the paper in volume,” said Mr. Yousif Al Sahlawi, Senior Executive Director of Corporate Affairs at Dubai Customs.

Commenting on the initiative, Aramex Chief Executive Officer for the Middle East and Africa, Hussein Hachem, said: “The new e-freight system led by Dubai Customs and Emirates Airline offers a picture of the way forward for air freight in the region, and Aramex is proud to be part of it. This initiative will enable also Aramex to reduce its carbon footprint, which is an important ongoing goal for us.”

“The launch of the e-freight system in Dubai takes us into a new, more efficient era for air cargo,” said Ram Menen, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo. “Emirates has been a key supporter of this initiative as we see clear advantages in it for the entire industry. Freight services are an important business segment that comprises about 19 per cent of airline revenues worldwide. Such an initiative has broad, positive implications for e-trade in the region and for Dubai’s economy.”

The new system boosts speed and reliability by reducing the cycle time to an average of 24 hours and one-time electronic data entry at point of origin. Additionally, the system facilitates better visibility by providing for electronic documentation and online track-and-trace function.

From Left to Right: Mr. Ahmed Butti and Mr. Ibrahim Ahli

The Dubai Airport Freezone has been recognized as a strategic partner of Dubai Customs at an awards ceremony held recently in Dubai. Read the full story