Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has launched a new innovative port community system project called Maqta Gateway.

The company explained it is a state-of-the-art system designed in line with international standards to serve the community by interlinking all relevant parties involved in Abu Dhabi’s growing import and export trade business.

Taking the one-stop-shop philosophy to a new level, Maqta Gateway will offer ports, exporters, importers, shipping lines, customs and government agencies a single point of contact and real time information at any time of the day – even via mobile, significantly enhancing processing times and communication procedures, ADPC stated.

“The system will ensure smooth transport and logistics operations involving Abu Dhabi ports, airports and railway networks. It will feed into wider global supply chain communication platforms and act as an accelerator for development and trade in the emirate, a core objective for ADPC and a central pillar of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.”

Capt Mohammed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO, ADPC, commented: “Maqta Gateway will help facilitate the next generation of trade in Abu Dhabi and will dramatically transform the emirate’s way of doing business. It will make import and export activities more efficient, transparent and thus more time- and cost-effective while guaranteeing optimum supply chain efficiency.”

The official launch of the project took place at the Emirates Palace where hundreds of high-level government officials and key industry professionals came together to witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ADPC and partner organisations, all of whom will be integral in developing the system.

These organisations included the Ministry of Environment and Water, Abu Dhabi Airports, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi Customs Administration, Etihad Rail and Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT).

“As more than 90 per cent of global trade travels by seas, ADPC’s ports are crucial logistics hubs for Abu Dhabi’s trade business and services. Handling trade efficiently through our ports involves the close cooperation between all the parties involved and we have to work together to push Abu Dhabi and the UAE to the forefront of cutting-edge, supply chain technology and logistics,” Al Shamisi said.

“With this in mind, we sincerely thank the Abu Dhabi leadership and our stakeholders for their full support and collaboration in setting up the Maqta Gateway project.”

As a result of the introduction of the project, ADPC is the first organisation in the GCC region to become a member of the International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA), a global body which promotes the highest possible standards in international port community system operators.

“We are delighted to welcome ADPC as our 26th member and our first member from the GCC and indeed the whole of the Arab world. By joining our association, ADPC has proven to be a valuable candidate in establishing electronic networks and e-services   to facilitate global trade,” said Alan Long, Chairman, IPCSA.

Maqta Gateway takes its name from the Maqta Bridge which was the first crossing to communicate Abu Dhabi island with the mainland. It was a crucial connection for Abu Dhabi’s trade and development and the Maqta Gateway will be a crucial bridge for future business opportunities, both nationally and globally, ADPC said.