The project will accelerate the growth of the e-commerce market which is expected to reach US$20 billion in 2020 in the GCC countries. It will provide an environment that stimulates creativity and attracts more direct foreign investments in line with Dubai Plan 2021.
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| Source: Dubai CommerCity website. Artist's impression of Dubai CommerCity. |
HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, DAFZA Chairman, said that free zones enjoy flexible and adaptable legislations and business systems – a unique feature that empowers economic clusters and accelerates their growth. He added that free zones also play strategic roles locally and regionally in enhancing global trade routes and supply chains. DAFZA, he noted, has all the elements and factors to achieve success, pointing out that for the last two decades its remarkable achievements have earned the confidence of the international business community and its leaders.
Dubai CommerCity is strategically located near the Dubai International Airport, and close to major local and national highways. It offers world-class cargo and logistics services and an integrated infrastructure with easy access to land and seaports, enabling swift and efficient distribution and delivery of services which are essential to competing in the world of e-commerce as well as minimising supply chain costs.
HE Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Director General of DAFZA, said: “Dubai CommerCity will enhance the role of e-commerce as a key driver of Dubai’s sustainable economy. DAFZA will apply its leading experiences and services based on comprehensive studies on the future of e-commerce in the MENA region. Dubai CommerCity complements the expansion plans and achievements led by DAFZA aimed at attracting foreign direct investments to Dubai, driven by its vision, The free zone that goes beyond, in cooperation with wasl Asset Management Group with which we have a successful partnership. Through Dubai CommerCity, we aim to play an organisational, operational and knowledge-based role that will contribute to the building of a new world-class free zone and the creation of a unified platform for government, administrative, customs and logistics services that meet the needs of the e-commerce sector, in response to the vision of the wise leadership of achieving sustainable development.”
HE Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, CEO of wasl Asset Management Group, commented: “We look forward to partnering with DAFZA to translate the vision of our wise leadership to make Dubai one of the best investment destinations in the world. Our joint venture supports the national economic diversification strategy and the creation of a sustainable economy based on innovation and competitiveness. The new free zone is strategically located near to Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, offering attractive investment opportunities to reputed e-commerce companies that are seeking to establish a presence and expand in the MENA and South Asia regions.”
Dubai CommerCity takes up 427,000 sq m inclusive of office spaces and logistics units covering 207,000 sq m. There will be 4,000 parking slots for its customers. The free zone is divided into three clusters designed in to achieve environmental and investment sustainability.
The Business Cluster includes 13 office buildings with a total leasable area of 108,000 sq m and a total built-up area of 136,000 sq m. It features modern buildings and landscapes within the interior and exterior areas to encourage customers to adopt a healthy and active approach while doing business and to make work routines interesting. The cluster is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified.
The Logistics Cluster consists of 84 logistic units with a total built-up area of 71,000 sq m and a leasable area of 68,000 sq m equipped with the latest technologies to meet the needs of logistics services providers and customers. The main feature of the cluster is its rooftop PVC solar panels for generating clean energy.
The Social Cluster is the heart of Dubai CommerCity, with its art galleries, a range of luxury restaurants and cafés, and facilities for e-commerce companies wishing to establish regional headquarters in Dubai.
The project will be an ideal opportunity for major regional and international manufacturers to store their goods, products and spare parts in state-of-the-art, fully-equipped, technology-enabled warehouses, to be shipped to the local markets in record time.
The new free zone will also drive private investment supporting the region’s startups. Over the next five years, the e-commerce sector is projected to account for 10% of the emirate of Dubai’s retail sales, which are in turn expected to reach AED200 billion by the end of 2017.
Dubai CommerCity is fully committed to supporting the goal of the wise leadership to reduce the UAE carbon footprint by 25% within 2030 in accordance with global standards for a sustainable environment and a green economy. It will reduce electricity consumption by using solar energy; lower water wastage by 40% through the treatment of polluted water and the collection and reuse of storm water. Strategies also include the reduction of pollution and implementation of global environmental standards related to the construction of light industrial units and buildings as well as the use of environmentally-friendly building materials and recycled resources.
The free zone is committed to modernising and updating the regional e-commerce legislative system. It will benefit from a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between DAFZA and the Arab Federation for e-Commerce, an organisation under the Arab League’s Council of Arab Economic Unity, stipulating cooperation with Arab governments in developing and harmonising legislation and laws designed to facilitate the practice of e-commerce and drive the growth of the digital economy.
