Archive for the 'Dubai' Category

Swift Global Logistics is planning to increase its operations in the Far East after receiving WOFE (Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprise) status from the Chinese government.

The trade licence, which allows foreign companies to operate in China without a local partner, has previously been awarded to logistics players such as UPS, Gulf Agency Company (GAC) and Maersk Logistics.

Issa Baluch, chief executive officer of Swift Group, the Dubai-based owner of Swift Global Logistics, and seen here, said, ‘This is another important development in the our mission to provide innovative logistics solutions to a wider spectrum of clients throughout the world.

‘The number of international freight forwarders who have been awarded the WOFE licence is extremely limited.’

Swift Global Logistics will now operate as a wholly owned entity in China, providing a range of sea freight, airfreight and 3PL services in the local market. In particular, the company is planning to market its SAM (Sea Air Model) service, which combines sea-air transportation from cities such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Yiwu and Guangzhou to locations throughout Africa.
Source: Arabian Business

Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group is a leading hydraulic truck crane manufacturer which expects to produce 10,000 units this year. Its other products include excavators, bulldozers and asphalt pavers. It is, indeed, China’s biggest manufacturer of construction machinery.

Now it is about to invest $15 million to build a regional logistics centre in Dubai.

Qi Hong, the company’s regional director, said, ‘The Middle East is our most well established and fastest-growing overseas market. We have sold more than $400 million worth of products in the Middle East over the last three years and are hoping for earnings of $250 million in the region in 2007.’

Qi Hong said the company’s logistics centre in Dubai will boost client service and aid regional business growth. He said, ‘The company is seeking a 20,000 square meter site in Dubai and hopes it will be in operation within a few months.’
Source: Gulf News

Emirates, the airline operating out of Dubai, has increased to 12 flights every week from Dubai and Beijing. Then, from July 1 the carrier will launch a double daily non-stop service. Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, said, ‘China is the new economic powerhouse and the world is beating a path to its capital Beijing.’ And the Olympic Games are just around the corner.

Emirates will serve the second daily with an Airbus A340-300 offering 267 seats in a three-class configuration. 12 seats in first class, 42 in business and 213 in economy and 13 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity. When the second daily flight is added, the airline will offer capacity in excess of 3,700 seats and 180 tonnes of cargo to Beijing every week.

The UAE and the China National Tourism Administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Chinese citizen outbound travel to the UAE earlier this month, which is projected to significantly increase the growth of Dubai’s tourism and MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) markets.

The fact that Emirates is now widely considered the airline to beat when it comes to luxury travel will undoubtedly help.
Source: etravel blackboard

China Southern Airlines, by fleet size, is the biggest airline in China. Now it has launched a new service from Guangzhou to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The flight departs Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from Guangzhou in the evening and gets into Dubai the next morning an hour after midnight.

This is the second international flight from China Southern this year. The Guangzhou-Kathmandu service launched on February 5.

China Southern will open eight other direct international services this year, all departing from Guangzhou. The destinations will include Rangoon, Delhi, Sendai and Sapporo. As a result, the company’s international flights from Guangzhou will be expanded from 136 per week to 182.

It will be interesting to see the passenger mix that flies to Dubai. For the English it has become a sort of expensive seaside resort. For most other people a major business center.

Source: Xinhuanet