- DP World CEO and Chairman expresses optimism about India’s pace of progress
Sujoy Bose: - The development of inland waterways and dedicated freight corridors will be gamechangers for India’s logistics industry
- DP World-NIIF platform to enhance last mile delivery, allowing for efficient transportation of cargo
Dubai, UAE – DP World Ltd., the Dubai-based port operator that manages terminals from Hong Kong to Peru, and India’s National Investment & Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) plan to jointly invest up to US$3 billion in the South Asian nation, said His Excellency Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, on day one of the sixth World Government Summit (WGS 2018) in Dubai.
During a panel discussion titled ‘Smart Trade, Transport and Logistics Solutions’, moderated by CNN’s Richard Quest, Bin Sulayem expressed optimism at India’s pace of progress. He said: “One of the problems that we currently face is in the last-mile delivery of cargo to the customer. However, we are looking at alternative ways of transporting cargo, such as inland waterways. India has an extensive network of rivers – we are building special vessels that can navigate these waterways.”
Echoing this sentiment, Sujoy Bose, CEO of NIIF, said: “55-60 percent of Indian cargo currently moves by road, and only 5-10 percent is marine cargo. The inland waterways project, which the World Bank has invested in, is picking up steam and will be a gamechanger for the logistics industry.”
Speaking about the joint investment between NIIF and DP World, he said: “We are creating a platform that will offer customers an efficient way to transport cargo. We are investing substantial capital into this project and combining it with global expertise to develop world-class facilities.”
Ramesh Abhishek, Secretary of the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion at India’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry, also noted that the Indian government is investing heavily in infrastructure, which will drive growth in the logistics industry. He said: “Earlier, there was no direct port delivery, whereas today 33 percent of containers have direct port delivery, and 77 percent of containers are given direct entry for exporters. We want to increase this figure to 100 percent.”
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the World Government Summit 2018 runs from February 11 to 13 at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. The landmark event convenes more than 4,000 participants from 140 countries, including heads of state and governments, as well as top-tier representatives of 16 international organizations.
Hosting more than 130 speakers across 120 interactive sessions, WGS 2018 features six distinct forums that examine the challenges of vital sectors for the future with a view to finding the best resolutions for the greater global good. Furthermore, over 20 specialized global reports spanning key sectors and topics of the summit will be launched throughout the duration of the event.
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About the World Government Summit
The World Government Summit is the primary global forum dedicated to shaping the future of governments worldwide. Each year, the summit sets the agenda for the next generation of governments with a focus on harnessing innovation and technology to solve universal challenges facing humanity. The World Government Summit is a knowledge exchange platform that converges governments, futurism, technology and innovation. It functions as a thought leadership and networking hub for policymakers, experts and pioneers in human development. As a gateway to the future, the summit analyzes trends, issues and opportunities that humanity is likely to face in the coming decades, while showcasing innovations, best practices and smart solutions that inspire creative ideas on how best to address them.
