DP World’s Dubai Trade portal launches e-delivery order to reduce disruptions

Dubai Trade, DP World’s single window platform for cross border trade, has introduced the “electronic delivery order”, to enable supply chain stakeholders to manage their import processes conveniently.

The new system enables shipping agents, freight forwarders and beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) to upgrade to a digitised process that delivers an efficient mechanism on the Dubai Trade portal, a step ahead of the over-the-counter operations that entail physical visits.

The e-delivery order, designed to support trade, logistics and supply chain players in times of operational disruptions, eliminates paperwork, minimises cargo clearance turnaround time, increases competitiveness and creates greater visibility of the cargo flow.

The process is further underscored by Dubai Customs accepting digital bills of lading and delivery orders from agents.

Mohammed Al Muallem, CEO and managing director, DP World, UAE region, said: “Adapting to new technological innovations in the trade and logistics industry has become all the more imperative in these days of global uncertainties created by the Covid-19 pandemic. Dubai Trade’s ‘E-Delivery Order’ marks a major step forward in digitising the management of logistics to increase the resilience of the trade and logistics sector, which are classified as essential services by the UAE.”

“We are proud to introduce a country-first Electronic Delivery Order in the UAE’s trade ecosystem. This automation will make the existing manual process redundant and reduce the operational costs while helping the company in the adoption of sustainable delivery processes. Our customers will be happy to know that the new system eliminates 80 per cent of paperwork and physical visits and cuts turnaround time by a similar count. Additionally, customers will experience seamless automated payment collections and reconciliation, lower overhead costs and costs related to operating counters,” noted Hussain Alblooshi, chief operating officer of Dubai Trade.

The company has already processed more than 17,000 transactions for more than 1,400 customers.

Shipping agents such as Ocean Network Express, Peninsula Shipping, Hapag Lloyd Middle East, and Gulf Agency Company (GAC) as well as freight forwarders Globelink West Star Shipping, Kuehne+Nagel and Freight Systems DWC are among Dubai Trade’s global customers who are using the e-delivery order system.