Dubai outpaced fierce competition from Europe and the Far East to be the hub for global distribution of Inmarsat satellite modems and accessories.
The five-year contract to distribute Inmarsat's regional BGAN satellite modems has gone to Jafz-based Trident Freight, the international forwarding arm of Rais Hassan Saadi Group, according to Salim Rais, group director.
The deal could see 200,000 kilos of airfreight moving in and out of Trident's warehouses annually.
Transportation value alone could be $4 million, said Madhav Kurup, Trident general manager.
The 1.6 kilo modems and accessories would be sourced from Inmarsat plants in the U.S., Europe and China, airfreighted to Dubai and then sourced out to orders wherever needed, said Samer Halawi, regional director of Inmarsat.
Inmarsat's broadband global area network (BGAN) was launched at the end of 2002. It is a GPRS-compatible, wireless mobile service with up to 144bit/s data communication facility that works anywhere in the Thuraya footprint of 99 countries in Middle East, North and Central Africa, Europe and the subcontinent. It allows remote access to corporate networks, to the Internet, email etc.
By 2005, when Inmarsat will have its own nearly-global coverage satellite, customers will migrate to it, said Halawi.
He said the facility could be used by oil and gas firms, media, government, tourism and other companies to connect with remote operations.
"We recently got a big order from a Central Asian bank to link their ATMs," Halawi said.
Ahmed Butti Ahmed, Jebel Ali Free Zone managing director, said facilities offered by the zone helped Dubai get the contract, and promised all support to the venture partners.
"Just five years ago, European companies would sell direct. But with facilities growing in Dubai, the emirate is now emerging as a hub in the global supply chain," Kurup said.
Gulf News 2003
