DP World reinforces co-operation with clients, commitment to services.

DP World reinforces co-operation with clients, commitment to services

Annual event celebrates company's outstanding growth, Jebel Ali Port's high global ranking

DP World - UAE, the local arm of DP World, has recently hosted its annual event in Dubai, to celebrate the outstanding growth achieved by the leading marine terminal operator in 2007.

Company employees and senior officials, representatives of clients and maritime shipping lines as well as members of the local media attended the gala event, which aimed at lauding their continuous efforts and involvement in DP World's tremendous growth. The Dubai World company also reiterated its support and co-operation to its clients.

In 2007, Jebel Ali Port, DP World's flagship, grew to become the world's seventh largest port, handling a record 10 million TEUs.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah, Executive Vice Chairman of DP World and Group CEO of Ports and Free Zone World, said:

"DP World achieved a remarkable 18 per cent growth in 2007. We are confident that the co-operation and mutual understanding between the company and our clients and our constant upgrading of strategies will help us maintain this growth and expand our operations," Mr. Bin Thaniah said.

Mr. Mohammed Al Muallem, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DP World's UAE Region, in his speech reflected upon the overall achievements of the company during 2007, making particular reference to the launch of operations at Jebel Ali's Container Terminal 2; the introduction of new electronic services and the upgrade of the security and safety systems.

"We are proud of the growth DP World-UAE has achieved during the past year. The crowning glory was when Jebel Ali Port was ranked seventh among the world's top container ports. For us, the year 2007 was rich with accomplishments, in which we were able to deliver more efficient services to our clients and to the industry in general. We also succeeded in upgrading our transport, shipping and clearance systems and procedures, thus ensuring speed and quality in execution. DP World - UAE Region has laid down long-term strategic plans that would meet the growing demand for shipping and logistics services," Al Muallem said.

"We thank our clients for their confidence in us and their continuous support, which led to reinforcing the trust and co-operation between us. The boom in global trade and the steady growth of the maritime industry encourage us to set higher goals and strive for bigger prospects in the future. This vision is strengthened by our commitment to clients," he added.

DP World Jebel Ali was recently awarded "Recognised for Excellence" 5-star rating by EFQM, the European Foundation for Quality and Management, becoming the first port operator worldwide to receive such a prestigious rating.

[c] 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)