Bundled into Dubai
Dubai is also pursuing its own ‘Silk Road’ strategy. Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of the Emirati airline, has developed a product as a partner for transporting goods by air that is aimed at Emirati customers buying from US online sales platforms.
Emirati consumers shopping online from different US retailers can now consolidate their purchases for delivery in the Middle Eastern country. Emirates SkyCargo has launched a service it has called ‘Emirates delivers’, which it says is a “fast, reliable and cost-effective e-commerce shipping solution that can be used by other companies and logistics providers.”
The service envisages customers providing Emirates with a delivery address in the USA, where they can then store their purchases free of charge for 30 days. Emirates SkyCargo will then deliver the goods to a doorstep in the UAE, three to five days after the order was placed.
Nabil Sultan, Emirates’ senior divisional vice-president for cargo, pointed out that “Emirates SkyCargo is delighted to be the first international cargo airline with a dedicated e-commerce delivery platform. This move is in line with our strategy to introduce specialised and innovative air transport products. It also helps to position Dubai as a global e-commerce fulfilment hub for customers from the Middle East, Asia and Africa.”
This is line with Dubai’s own ‘Silk Road’ strategy, which aims to strengthen the emirate’s position as a key regional trade and logistics hub, the divisional vice-president closed.
