Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has launched the ‘Maqta Gateway’ project, a new innovative port community system project.

The system has been designed in line with international standards and will serve the community by interlinking all of the relevant parties involved in Abu Dhabi’s growing import and export trade business, said a statement.

Taking the ‘one-stop-shop’ philosophy to a new level, the project will offer ports, exporters, importers, shipping lines, customs and government agencies a single point of contact and real time information at any time of the day - even via mobile, significantly enhancing processing times and communication procedures, it said.

The system will ensure smooth transport and logistics operations involving Abu Dhabi ports, airports and railway networks.

It will feed into wider global supply chain communication platforms and act as an accelerator for development and trade in the Emirate, a core objective for ADPC and a central pillar of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.

Cant Mohammed Juma Al Shamisi, chief executive officer of ADPC, said: “’Maqta Gateway’ will help facilitate the next generation of trade in Abu Dhabi and will dramatically transform the emirate’s way of doing business.

“It will make import and export activities more efficient, transparent and thus more time and cost effective while guaranteeing optimum supply chain efficiency.”

The official launch of the project took place at the Emirates Palace where hundreds of high level government officials and key industry professionals came together to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between ADPC and partner organisations, all of whom will be integral in developing the system.

“As more than 90 per cent of global trade travels by seas, ADPC’s ports are crucial logistics hubs for Abu Dhabi’s trade business and services. Handling trade efficiently through our ports involves the close cooperation between all the parties involved and we have to work together to push Abu Dhabi and the UAE to the forefront of cutting edge, supply chain technology and logistics,” said Al Shamisi.

“With this in mind, we sincerely thank the Abu Dhabi leadership and our stakeholders for their full support and collaboration in setting up ‘Maqta Gateway’ project,” he added.

As a result of the launch of the project, ADPC is the first organisation in the GCC region to become a member of the International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA), a global body which promotes the highest possible standards in international port community system operators.

Alan Long, chairman, IPCSA, said: “We are delighted to welcome ADPC as our 26th member and our first member from the GCC and indeed the whole of the Arab world. By joining our association, ADPC has proven to be a valuable candidate in establishing electronic networks and e-services to facilitate global trade.” - TradeArabia News Service