Dubai Customs notches up 13% surge in transactions

Dubai Customs recorded nearly 22 million transactions during the first nine months of this year, marking a 13% increase from the 19 million customs transactions recorded during the same period last year.

In a statement released on Sunday, Dubai Customs noted the growth aligns with the targets set by the city’s D33 agenda, which aims to double foreign trade and establish new trade routes, connecting Dubai with an additional 400 cities worldwide.

“The overarching goal is to position Dubai as one of the top four global financial hubs, fostering economic productivity through innovation and digital integration,” said Dubai Customs in its statement.

Digging deeper into the data, Dubai Customs had processed approximately 18.8 million customs declarations by the end of the third quarter of 2023, compared to 16.6 million declarations during the same period last year, reflecting a growth of 13.2%. Customs declarations constituted 87% of these total customs transactions.

The department cites its success in the implementation of digital programmes, such as the Mirsal 2 system, which is now capable of handling around 70,000 customs declarations in a single day.

Another initiative from the customs body is the “Cargo Status Tracking” project, which aims to provide clients with real-time monitoring and comprehensive visibility into the customs clearance process across Dubai’s borders. This initiative aims to improve efficiency, reduce costs for customs authorities and traders, and empower customers to take subsequent actions based on the provided information.

Major shipping hub

Dubai recently ranked fifth among the globe’s top 20 international centres for commercial maritime shipping, according to the 2023 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index Report.

Singapore, London, Shanghai, and Hong Kong occupied the top four positions in the index.

The index cited Dubai’s “business-oriented” attitude and its position as a “world-class maritime hub” as reasons for why it’s ranked so highly.

The city’s easily-accessible geographical position is another key factor.

“Aside from its strategic location between east and west – one-third of the world’s leisure destinations and business hubs can be reached within a four-hour flight, and two-thirds within an eight-hour flight,” said the authors of the report.

“Dubai has put measures in place to make it an attractive place to do business,” the report said.